Brenda’s Meat & Three Menu

  • Soup And Salads
  • Sandwiches & Salads
  • Starters
  • Eggs
  • Griddle
  • Sides
  • Starters
  • Griddle
  • Eggs, Etc.
  • Supper

Healthy Meal suggestions for Brenda’s Meat & Three

  • Soup And Salads
  • Sandwiches & Salads
  • Starters
  • Eggs
  • Griddle
  • Sides
  • Starters
  • Griddle
  • Eggs, Etc.
  • Supper

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  • Jamuna D.

    We were so excited for a new spot in the hood, but left disappointed. I'll get right to the MEAT of my complaint, which is where they get their meat from. I went with a large party and someone asked our server where they get their meat from and the server said he didn't know, but did we mean is it pasture/small farm raised? We said yes that's what we mean and we were wondering if it's a humane farm and he said it wasn't that kind of place and he doesn't know the name, but that he knows that. I expect this from a hole in the wall, but not a new restaurant with higher prices. With 4505 Burgers and Nopa and so many other spots on the street who serve incredible food, but also serve ethical meat and focus on local and organic, I'm surprised a new restaurant would be coming in with the old. The prices here were reasonable, but not cheap and while they have some great recipes and a couple good dishes, the quality was not great and it showed. Like, watermelon salad in winter? The watermelon tasted like it was shipped all the way from Mexico and it just didn't taste good. Love the traditional dishes, but lets serve watermelon in the summer and have a little creativity in supporting local produce and quality meats, it's almost 2015. You can serve incredible food and have it be sustainable/humane and I'd rather spend my money where I can have both. I would love to see this place change their tune on sourcing local, sustainable and humane as they know how to cook and have some tasty ideas, but quality comes through and left us disappointed about a place we wanted to love.

    (2)
  • Erin C.

    Good simple southern food, very reasonably priced. About $20 per person. Definitely a good neighborhood spot on my rotation, along with Little Star pizza, Wine Kitchen, Saffron Grill, and Oasis.

    (5)
  • John D.

    The service was great, there was no wait when I walked in, and the menu looked wonderful. Unfortunately, the food was not very good. I ordered the ribs with Brussels sprouts, beets, and cornbread. The beats and Brussels were fine, but both the ribs and cornbread were very dry.

    (2)
  • Plinio C.

    Came here as soon as I heard the place opened. I've been to Brenda's in Larkin, fell in love with their beignets and their eggs, so I was excited to know they had a new location. They do have a different menu (choose a meat and three of the many sides), but they also have Gumbo and some other southern dishes. A friendly face from the other Brenda's greeted me, and then I had the BFC with brussels and other sides. That night, the fried chicken was in my dreams, and later the next day, I missed his crispy presence dearly, so I guess that's a good thing, and I'll be back for more.

    (5)
  • Avery A.

    Wow. Great soul food. We had a group meal and ate fried chicken, blackened fish, ribs, and an assortment of sides. My favorites were the fried chicken and the glazed carrots (basically carrots soaked in a caramel sauce). Decent wait (~40 minutes), but great food, chill ambience, and ample portions! I hope to come back here soon. Could be one of my go to spots!

    (4)
  • Madeline S.

    So excited for them to be in the neighborhood. The back patio is adorable and the brunch was excellent!! Can't wait to try dinner. Plus the service was really kind and even though there was a wait, the hostess was a accommodating and patient. Just go have a cup of pour over delicious coffee at Oasis while you wait!

    (5)
  • Cliff H.

    Careful if you're in a hurry and get it to go. They forgot the hash browns and silverware and there wasn't any butter for the biscuit. Is this McDonalds? Do I need to check my own order I paid $20 for?

    (1)
  • Captain B.

    I'm so happy that they opened this new location. A lot of the food is similar, which is a good thing. Today I had the fried chicken sandwich...so amazing.

    (5)
  • Lev E.

    Lovely lovely lovely - really enjoyed the food here. I was hesitant since I wasn't a fan of Brenda's on Polk Street, but this location, the flavors seem better balanced - rich but not heavy. Definitely will be returning! Yum!

    (4)
  • Roxane P.

    We went on Sunday after volunteering at Glide. It was spontaneous, So we arrived to the restaurant around 10am. There were a few parties ahead of us but since we were 2, we were next in line. We ordered Johnny Cakes as appetizers and they were bomb! And I ordered pulled pork eggs benedict. It was yummy but i could only eat one since the Johnny cake was a pretty good portion size. I would recommend getting the Johnny Cakes and fruit if you don't want a heavy breakfast. Probably what I'll get next time. :)

    (4)
  • Phillip M.

    They don't really need any more reviews 'cuz they're so good and now in my hood..woof!

    (4)
  • Lise R.

    Great brunch in a cool little restaurant with a New Orleans cafe feel. Absolutely the BEST biscuits in the city. Very attentive staff. I want to go back and try dinner as well.

    (4)
  • Ryan S.

    Went for a late brunch a few weekends ago. There was a 20 minute'ish wait for our two top but they took down our number so we could do a little window shopping. I'm a huge fan of the other Brenda's location so I had high expectations. They totally nailed it. We split the johnnycakes and shrimp and grits. I would like to give it 5 stars but there were minor service issues and the speciality mimosa that we got was very $ for a cocktail that was just ok.

    (4)
  • Judy H.

    I love Brenda's Meat and Three just as much as the Brenda's on Polk Street! I've been there twice already since they've opened and both times were absolutely delicious. Last Friday, my friend and I had the meat pie and fried chicken with fried okra, mac and cheese, and potato hash. The meat pie was flavorful and well-sized for an appetizer. The fried chicken was delicious, just the right amount of kick, and was a very generous portion: thigh, drumstick, and breast. This was more than enough food for the two of us. The second time I had the gumbo, braised short ribs, and spare ribs with okra/tomatoes, collard greens, and cheese grits. All of which were also delicious. The gumbo had a really nice charred flavor to it and the sauce on the ribs were delicious. The spare ribs weren't nearly as generous of a portion as the fried chicken, but still large enough to share with the sides. The short ribs were so, so tender and the mushroom sauce was a great compliment. Definitely a great meal for the price, and I'll be back to try brunch and lunch!

    (5)
  • Inigo M.

    Excellent calas and gumbo. Pleasant service.

    (4)
  • Margaret B.

    We live in the neighborhood and this is one of our favorite spots. We go often for dinner and fairly often for brunch and everything that we have had has been excellent. The biscuits are the best that I have had and I love to pair them with the pepper jelly. A few of my other favorites include the fried chicken, the catfish, the Johnny cakes, the cauliflower au gratin, and the green beans. I highly recommend Brenda's!

    (5)
  • dr r.

    We've been eagerly awaiting for this place to open and usually that can mean high expectations that end up dashed... Not so here! We were in around 330pm so dinner wasn't available but we could order lunch or brunch and everything we had was spectacular. The most impressive thing was the awesome flavor and balance in all the food. Perfect eggs, delicious spice on the potato hash, amazing biscuits and the best fried oysters either of us had ever had. We generally like hot sauce but the food was so perfect as it was we really didn't want to mess with it. Also - really lovely space with a warm, throwback diner feel and terrific friendly service. Can't wait to go back for dinner!!

    (5)
  • Matt V.

    great service and expertly prepared foods. I had the scrambled egg dish with the fried muscles, or clams or something. It was awesome. Completely something out of the norm for me, as that wouldn't really be my first choice normally. The waiter recommended it and I am happy he did. The biscuits here are to die for too FYI.

    (5)
  • yasmine k.

    DELICIOUS pulled pork sandwich with spicey pickles and a side of watermelon iced tea. The ambience is friendly and low key. Only missing a star because the menu is pretty limited. Hoping with time they decide to diversify the lunch offering. You're not coming here for a healthy lunch, but it would be nice to have an option. In any case, amazing pulled pork and friendly staff :)

    (4)
  • Jessica G.

    Best Southern food I've had in California! I got the fried chicken (not on the menu but our wonderful server told us about it), greens, mac and cheese, and sweet potatoes. My friend got the short rib, greens, sweet potatoes and okra. She cleaned her plate and I took my third piece of chicken and the mac and cheese home and ate it for lunch today. Really liked the atmosphere of the clean, cozy place, the quick and friendly service, and obviously the delicious food. I'll be back, thanks Brenda's!

    (5)
  • GA R.

    Went to Brenda's on Divis last Friday night with my husband and son. The service was excellent, and the food was very good. We had the biscuits to start - which basically melted in your mouth. Then ribs, mac& cheese, and the oyster po'boy. All very good. The best part of the meal was the strawberry rhubarb cobbler - which was excellent. All and all a good experience, and we will be back for dinner.

    (4)
  • Curt M.

    Anything less than five stars is absurd! I normally hate chicken but this was heavenly. Moist flavorful delicately spiced crunchy crust covered perfection. I've been here three times and they were among the best meals of my life. Try the pork belly. I was stunned at the textures and big piggy flavor offset by the strong peppery glaze. The staff is attentive and cheerful without being overbearing. And on top of it all, this place won't break the bank either.

    (5)
  • Vivian A.

    Biscuits, biscuits, biscuits! I'm not a biscuit fan, but after having one here last night, I ended up taking 1/2 a dozen home so my sister in-law and I are now BIG fans! I started with a cup of the gumbo, which was a meal in itself. Definitely a case of ordering way too much food, despite being famished. My entree: catfish had a great cornmeal crust, moist inside and not at all greasy. My 3 sides:collard greens were wonderful with a slight kick which I like, mac& cheese just ooey and gooey like it should be, and the biscuit that I just can't even begin to describe. My sister-in law had the pork chops (2) with an onion gravy. I was able to sneak a bite and it was moist and tender that you didn't even need a knife to cut into it. Her 3 sides: cauliflower au gratin: YUM! collard greens and the fried okra which I wasn't able to sample since there wasn't any left after she finished :) Everything was delicious, the service was fantastic. Definitely will return when I want a biscuit and of course to try everything else on the menu.

    (4)
  • Chadwick M.

    The best southern food this side of the Mississippi.

    (5)
  • Geri S.

    Walked in at noon today; the place is packed; counter seats at the J-shaped counter all full; tables, full. The two-top in the front corner awaits us. We started with two watermelon iced sweet teas...fried chicken with coleslaw and fries and a wonderful lofty biscuit to smear with the delectable strawberry jam that sits in a jar on the table... and, the fried baloney sandwich (or, bologna) with a choice of green salad, coleslaw, fries. OMG, I devoured the fried bologna sandwich with its pickles, tomato slice, and pimento cheese and secret sauce! The side of pickled watermelon is perfect to pique your appetite.

    (4)
  • Alexander M.

    This place is well deserving of 5 stars. I came for lunch and the spicy fried chicken sandwich with fries brought me to my knees! It was seriously so delicious and actually affordable at just over $9. Cooked to perfection, and the little details like spicy peppers served on the side and delicious bun took it over the top. The service was very friendly and the place looked great as well. It's my new favorite restaurant in the hood and I can't wait to try everything on the menu! Great hours too. I'll be checking in often!

    (5)
  • Jerry G.

    Pretty tasty fare overall. Got some fried chicken, not the greatest but passable. Mac-n-cheese a real winner. The biscuits were a bit on the small side for being a side but tasty. Cozy atmosphere and nice interior. Place has it going on.

    (4)
  • Erica W.

    so glad this has come to the hood! walked right in on fri at lunch. the only disappointment was the fried chicken, kind of a mealy, under-seasoned crust, though the meat was nice and juicy. but things got better from there. the grits were excellent, the gumbo was absolutely top-notch and the collards were, without exaggeration, probably the best i've ever had - and i've eaten collards throughout the south. five stars just for the collards!

    (5)
  • Tita V.

    I came in on a Sunday for dinner and really liked their simple menu and cute casual setup. Great concept and good food! You select a meat, from I think it was four options or so and three sides. I went straight for the pork belly, (which I only have once every few years) and it was cooked to perfection, served with a sweet jalapeño glaze. HMM... So I didn't feel I was eating too unhealthy I asked for the okra stew, collard greens and brussell sprouts as my side dishes.. All delicious! I plan to go back soon! Maybe tonight. ;)

    (4)
  • LL T.

    Had their spicy chicken sandwich for lunch with some French fries. Was very good. I need to come back and try their brunch or dinner. Also had a biscuit for dessert which was also good. Definitely coming back.

    (4)
  • Dru K.

    This place is fantastic! It seems like a little hole in the wall but is larger than it appears. It has a very quaint patio that has plenty of plants and sun. I ordered the gumbo with the chicken cutlet side and I was in heaven. The gumbo was fantastic and the fried chicken was pleasantly spicy as well as crunchy and juicy. The wait stag wad also extremely friendly and pleasant. I highly recommend eating here.

    (5)
  • Steve L.

    Blazingly-amazing sides are weighed down only by a pedestrian adult drink selection and *gasp* too much food for the average eater. Go off menu by combining the non-chalkboard slides with the meat & three combo plates... you'll be glad that you did!

    (4)
  • Judy M.

    Best southern cooking I have ever had, including places I ate at in Savannah and Charleston. The seafood gumbo was delicious, filled with just right cooked shrimp. The grits are especially good, smooth, buttery and flavorful. Really cute patio in the back. Too bad I don't live in San Francisco, so I could go there more often. Ate there a week ago and still thinking about it.

    (5)
  • Angkana P.

    The chicken is too dry, not hot when they serve seem like it been pre cook...french fries are cold too...we have to go to Popeyes down the street to buy chicken since the chicken we had was really bad. The Gumbo is taste ok but still cold.......after a little chat with our server she was so nice to take the chicken dish off the bill, I really really appreciated.

    (3)
  • Lissette L.

    Went here twice. Brunch was SO much better than lunch. I had the blueberry pancakes and WOW! They were so delicious, thick and still batter-y! It was too much to eat in one meal but it was great to reheat-- just as delicious AND I had it with the pecan sauce which was great. On my second attempt, I had the gumbo which was okay, fried chicken breast- flavor was off-- as it was in the ranch- and a biscuit. In comparison to the OG Brenda's, I would 100% recommend Brenda's over this BUT I didn't try the Meat and Three which is what they're pushing for..

    (3)
  • Cydney B.

    In the opinion of the Huz and me, no one else comes close to the excellent soul food offered by Brenda, and this newer place is no exception. For brunch, I had boring old scrambled eggs and bacon and a biscuit, but everything was cooked to perfection -- even the eggs were the perfect texture. The Huz ate 3/4 of my order of bacon and all of my cream biscuit plus all of his seafood frittata, and wanted to know if we could return for dinner. He was ecstatic to know the new place is on his bus route home from work. Other guys hit the bars, my Huz hits the Brenda's restaurants. Great atmosphere in this new Divis place -- friendly, upbeat staff (including the excellent Ross) and nice easy vibe.

    (5)
  • michael N.

    I am so lucky that Brenda decided to land in my neighborhood. Most delicious food...have been there three times for lunch and dinner. Normally trend toward the fried chicken but I need to spread out. The sides are TDF. I love the greens and the oyster dressing. I came for a late lunch (after 3pm) and the choices were VERY limited. Oh I haven't even addressed the 'serts. They are fabulous. I am a huge bread pudding fan and there pudding is one of the best. The service is okay...but who cares with food this good. Prices are very reasonable for what you get. And btw..I have a pet sitter who when taking care of my house, eats here 3 or 4 days out of seven. He's a 70+ Georgian who swears this is the best southern food he has tasted out of the south.

    (4)
  • Chad H.

    Blam!! Super breakfast! Biscuits and gravy were awesome ( and that's hard to get ), great service, cute place. Two entrees, two sides, two coffees, $36. A+

    (5)
  • Adam L.

    In a word, disappointing. There was a lot of build up to this-I'd considered hitting the original Brenda's multiple times but was flat out too lazy to make the drive. The desire to try the chicken had been gnawing at me for quite some time and once the seed is planted, I am powerless against my baser instincts. There is a real lack of southern cooking in the city and I was sure Brenda's was going to help me realize my dreams. Also, my buddy and I always look forward to Sunday dinner and Mad Men, or Game of Thrones or in this case, America's Team vs. the Giants on Sunday Night Football. Sunday is the last deliciously unhealthy meal of the week before the Monday through Friday (ok Thursday) chicken and salad drudgery commences. It also aids in delaying the onset of Sunday Doom. So, there was a lot of hope and anticipation going into this meal and this hope was mercilessly crushed (like UCLA did to SC-which added to the joy of the weekend). So, onto the food... The chicken is sooooo over battered-it was more like fish and chips than fried chicken. They are generous in offering you three sides with your meal but what's the point when they all stink. I doubled down on the mac and cheese-it was runny, bland and I couldn't put enough salt and pepper on it to make on par with Kraft out of the box-zero hyperbole there-Kraft is better than this stuff. My buddy ordered a double of the mac as well but they mistakenly put in the cheesy grits which weren't great but, ironically, that mistake was the highlight of the meal. The smothered green beans were smothered in my tears of sadness. This meal was like finding out (spoiler alert) there is no Santa Claus. I was sad to see Blue Jay go-the food was solid, you didn't usually have to wait (which I assume contributed to their demise) and the people were great. My lamentation over their passing is now greatly augmented. Their chicken far surpassed that of the vaunted Brenda's. On a side note, the food was ready on time, was hot and the guy at the register was friendly. The positive reviews seem to focus on breakfast-I am willing to give that a shot. However, if you want fried chicken, just keep heading down Divis and hit Popeye's.

    (2)
  • Michael W.

    Reasonable prices and great food. Definitely recommend the oyster po' boy, they don't skimp on the fried oysters. Even their side salad is phenomenal. Expect to stand in line if you come here but it's worth the wait.

    (5)
  • Jeffrey H.

    Great format, and awesome food. It was really hard to decide which three sides to pick. I'd like if they changed the name/format to Brenda's Meat & Six

    (5)
  • Visit T.

    Great food. Great service. Great addition to the 'hood. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

    (5)
  • Alan C.

    Yummy!! Brenda had amazing food for the price. I had the brisket - delicious. This place is gonna get busy!

    (5)
  • Ezequiel P.

    I went for brunch on Sunday morning. Great prices for San Francisco! They also give you generous portion sizes that will leave you very full. My issue with this place is that the food took forever I thought they had forgotten our order, but then the food came after 30 minutes and was slightly cold. We sat outdoors, which receives very little sun and felt cold. The donuts were decent and the jams were savory. I had the seafood omelette, which lacked flavor. The coffee refills are free too. Overall this place is a good find because it's a good bang for the buck. I want to try the sweet potato pancakes sometime!

    (3)
  • Ron S.

    fan - freaking - tastic. popped in for the first time, had the Shrimp and Grits. creamy grits, 6 fat shrimp, smothered in cheddar cheese, topped off with some pork belly goodness. get you some.

    (5)
  • S Teresa M.

    Great brunch at Brenda's. French toast was awesome (and enough for breakfast the next day). We stayed across the street during a recent trip to San Francisco. 2 of my children ate here twice - they liked it so much. The po boy had lots of seafood in it. My eggs over easy were perfect. Only thing my family wasn't crazy about were the biscuits! Would definitely come here again.

    (4)
  • ondine g.

    Brenda's has taken over the Blue Jay Cafe. The decor here is just cold. The menu on the wall is hard to see with the huge palm in the way, not sure why it wasn't printed on the menu with all the other stuff? We encountered a very unnecessarily rude waitress (short red hair) within minutes of sitting down. The food is unfortunately average, nothing really amazing. The fried chicken was unexpectedly (hot) spicy and saturated with fat. (Yes it's fried but there is fried and then there is soaking in fat!) Biscuit tasted like fat... black eyed peas were good, carrots were good. I miss powells and arts...and all the other soul food places that have disappeared over the years in the city, there was something special about those places. I think Brenda's has the potential to be great. But so far it's just another restaurant.

    (3)
  • Ken K.

    My daughter and I happened upon this place when we were strolling Divisadero working up a late breakfast appetite. The wait on a Saturday afternoon was 45' plus. Their NoWait system allowed us to check in and text us when our table was ready. If you download the App you can watch your place in line (whoohoo). The staff was very pleasant despite the non-stop seatings. Coffee was excellent but the re-fills were a bit slower than I would have liked. That being said, the staff quickly re-filed on request and the water was non-stop (a must for me). The Bloody Mary was perrrfect - just the right spice and no skimping on vodka. I had the pulled pork hash, eggs over-easy and biscuit. Biscuit was excellent, eggs good and the hash was amazing! My daughter had the regular two-egg breakfast with grits. Again, the grits were the best part. The eggs were ever so slightly on the too-over-easy side. We got out of there for about $35 for two, so not the cheapest but definitely reasonable for SF. We sat next to a family with a young child and the staff was super cool about accommodating them, so it is really family friendly. Upsides: great specialty breakfast foods like their hash, grits and bloody mary's (ok, not a food but whatever). Downside: not a place to go if you're on a hurry, at least on a Saturday afternoon. We'll be back for sure.

    (4)
  • Erik L.

    I'll go back here just for the pork belly; don't even need to try anything else. The mac n' cheese was better than average (but not amazing), the oyster dressing was decent, and the creamed biscuits were good. I also tried the fried chicken, which I'm not a huge fan of to begin with, and this wasn't converting me. My friend liked it, though. It's a little on the pricey side, but hey, it's SF. Overall a very good meal.

    (5)
  • Rebecca H.

    My two companions and I enjoyed our dinner at Meat and 3 last night. It was Saturday evening at 7 so as expected we had a bit of a wait to be seated. In all fairness the server doing the seating put forth incredible effort to seat customers as fast as she could. The three of us were seated at a two-top. The seating itself was comfortable but the table was cramped with a plate and a beverage each. The servers work as a team to provide customers with fast diner-style service...a special shout-out to Matt for his efficiency with a side order of humor. The food was pretty good. Two of us had blackened catfish. The portion served was of moderate size..tasty and moist..not too spicy. Our other guest had watermelon chickory salad..a reasonable portion size..light and refreshing. The sides that we chose were 1) mashed potatoes..creamy and well-seasoned 2) cheesy grits..creamy and rich and delightfully comforting 3) vegan-style okra and tomatoes..fresh vegetables that retained their crunch despite being slightly over-salted 4) biscuits..creamy and buttery 5) mac and cheese..loaded with a mustardy flavor 6) vegan collard greens..flavorful and well-cooked I was torn between giving three or four stars to Meat and Three. The deciding factors were the pricing and the hipster atmosphere..both just a little high for the type of food served. Nonetheless I would definitely return.

    (3)
  • Fancypants X.

    Brenda's sophomore project is just as exciting as her first (Brenda's French Soul Food on Polk), with the added benefit of dinner service. Stuffed Johnny cakes (like a moist corn bread batter with cheese, chive, & bacon filling ruining throughout) was absolutely addictive, as was their okra & tomato stew-like side. 5 stars for each of these items! My companion loved her ham steak with red-eye gravy & grits. My biscuit & gravy dish lacked the excellence exhibited in the rest of our meal. Bland gravy, doughy biscuits, & the chicken cutlet I added on was tough & gamey. Soft scrambled eggs were nicely cooked. Despite this one misstep, grub still averages out to 4 stars, & I can't wait to return to try their sweet potato pancakes. Sidenote: I didn't see beignets on the menu, so if you're craving those, stick to her original hot spot on Polk.

    (4)
  • Alex O.

    The food was delicious. The cheesey grits were amazing. We ended up getting eggs, grits, toasts, and drinks, and everything was good. The service was quick and we ended up taking plenty of doggy bags.

    (5)
  • D B.

    Imprazed* by dindin. But then... wait for it... brunch, y'all. (*Impressed x amazed.)

    (5)
  • Vance O.

    Went there on Saturday ... First time, always passed by and saw a line and wondered what it was. Cute establishment, outdoor patio, bar seating. We got the crispy pork belly with gritz, cheese, and egg.... So delicious , but be prepared for a rich, heavy dish. Also got the pulled pork hash, also really good. Service great, friendly and knowledgeable. If you're looking for a nice hearty brunch, this is your spot on divis.

    (4)
  • Shumai P.

    My new favorite breakfast spot in SF!!!! Everything is sooooo delicious and the service is fantastic!!!

    (5)
  • Andrew K.

    Super solid breakfast with good coffee and uniquely Cajun options. Cute space too. A winner overall.

    (4)
  • Shirley N.

    The four of us came for lunch yesterday at 11:30am. I looked over the menu. Many items were reminiscent of my trip to New Orleans several months back. Gumbo? Nah. Po'boy? Nah. Hush puppies? Nah. Big Mama spicy fried chicken sandwich? Yes. Choice of red rice, fries, or slaw. Slaw please. At $10.95. It was a nice sandwich. Chicken breast dunked in a spicy sauce after fried. Special sauce, pickles, lettuce, tomato. I washed my sammie down with an Abita bottled root beer. I ate half my sandwich and took the other half home. A few hours later, the fried chicken was still crunchy. 4.0 stars for my lunch. My friends each attempted to do small bites - a couple of sides and a taste of gumbo. I'm not sure that's a good way to do it. I'd probaby rate their lunch experience 3.0 stars. Service was efficient and friendly. Counter service or sit down tables. Wait to be seated.

    (4)
  • Ryan D.

    I've only eaten breakfast here. But I have eaten breakfast here so hard that I feel entitled to review the whole restaurant. And here it goes: What you're looking at is basically the original Brenda's breakfast menu, minus the beignets (bummer). The Delta Scramble is my favorite dish. Aside from the odd crab benedict, one doesn't get a lot of opportunities to eat seafood at breakfast. There's enough seafood in the scramble to satiate my need for maritime brunch innovation. The combination of fried oysters and Brenda's salty hashbrowns is a bit much for me; you might be better off getting grits instead of potatoes. The sweet potato / pulled pork hash is just okay. Found it overly salty, a little dry, and not as flavorful as I'd like. Whichever egg dish you go with, be sure to get a biscuit instead of toast. They're fantastic. The sweet potato pancakes are the highlight here. Fluffy chunks of sweet potato in an even fluffier pancake, covered in an extremely rich butter pecan sauce. If it's your first time eating here, I would highly recommend springing for them. They are seriously upper-echelon pancakes. I've eaten some of the specials here, too. Most memorable were the s'mores pancakes -- which, while fun-looking, didn't really compare to the sweet potato ones.

    (4)
  • Lillian S.

    Perfect comfort food spot for decent prices. I know it's popular for brunch but we have just come to dinner 2x... Two weeks in a row! The fried chicken and ribs are amazing. The fried chicken comes with a yummy red pepper "jelly". My favorite sides are the collard greens, mac and cheese and red beans and rice. Fried okra is also delicious!! I have never tried dessert but the menu looks good. I only wish they had better booze. Stick with the beer selections, the wine I had was not so good. More of a "mexican coke" kinda place I think.

    (5)
  • Yuchi C.

    Always love Brenda's from the very early days and am glad to see another establishment! We LOVED the fried chicken, but they are really small pieces, thus -1 stars. Biscuit is always great with their homemade jam. We also got a kale salad that was full of wonderful textures and flavors.

    (4)
  • Art-Suzanne R.

    Really rich, I had shrimp & grits, tasty. We went for brunch. I could have done without cheese. I'd like to go back for dinner. Don't expect healthy California fare, this is southern food.

    (4)
  • Ron A.

    Best breakfast I've had in San Francisco, topping a number of popular "bests" in the city I've also tried. They get creative with including the soul food aspect into traditional breakfast dishes, and have pretty massive portion sizes. Great service, fair prices and decent Bloody Mary game. I had the beef short rib eggs Benedict, and it was unbelievable. Don't take reservations so you should expect to wait if you're dropping in for brunch, but this wait is absolutely worth it.

    (5)
  • Kris L.

    A and I LOVE Brenda's, so when we heard about Brenda's Meat & Three, we made plans to try it out ASAP! Our first visit was for lunch on a Monday morning. We arrived there a little after 11am and got a parking spot right out front. ROCKSTAR! FOOD: Stuffed Johnnycakes - shrimp, bacon, scallion, jalapeno, cheddar & corn, with three-pepper butter. This tastes amazing! I love it! I would go back just to have these. Who needs beignets? Beig-what? Low Country Gumbo - crab, shrimp, andouille sausage, okra, tomato, scallion, rice. Very good. Perfect dish for the recent cold snap we've had in San Francisco. Big Mama's Spicy Chicken Sandwich - spicy fried chicken on a toasted bun with mayo, dill pickles, lettuce, & tomato. SO good! A liked it so much that he had it again on our second visit. Watermelon Sweet Tea - a MUST every time we go to Brenda's! Our second visit was for dinner on a Thursday evening. We arrived there a little after 5pm and, again, got a parking spot right out front. ROCKSTAR X2!! FOOD: I had the meat & three. Brisket, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, and salad. Big portions for a big appetite at a reasonable price! Waay too much for just me, so I had lunch the next day as well. A, as I mentioned above, ordered Big Mama's Spicy Chicken Sandwich again because he loved it so much. Would I visit Brenda's Meat & Three again? Yes! Food is just as good as the original Brenda's and the parking is so much easier.

    (4)
  • Terri R.

    Already fans of Brenda's French Soul Food and Libby Jane Cafe, the b/f and I headed over to Brenda Buenviaje's new restaurant while visiting for the weekend. Open for about a month now, this new spot was not busy at all on the Friday morning that we arrived for breakfast. We started with an order of the Calas! - "New Orleans' lost rice doughnut." They look like beignets, but are denser and went well with the molasses butter and fruit compote. We weren't expecting there to be four calas, which is plenty for two people. In fact, our breakfast was more than enough for the two of us because the portions are generous. I had the Pulled Pork & Sweet Potato Hash for my entree, which came with two eggs as well as a cream biscuit. Mel had the Cream Biscuits & Country Gravy with chicken-fried steak as well as a side of cheesy grits: we were overloaded! I loved my entree; the combo of pork and sweet potato went very well together and I haven't had that particular pairing before. I also am a fan of the cheesy grits that Mel shared with me. There was so much food that we couldn't finish it all and that is a real shame. Service was excellent and the staff was very personable. This is the third of four eateries that Ms. Buenviaje had planned to open. Up next is Brenda's Original Po'Boys and you can bet your bottom dollar that we'll be visiting that one, too. This new joint is another winner; pay a visit and experience another one of Brenda's excellent versions of Southern food and hospitality.

    (4)
  • Anh T.

    I've been waiting so long for this place to open and to my surprise I finally found it under the hot & new category and Hightailed my butt straight here for dinner! Former Blue Jay Cafe, if you're a fan of Brenda's french soul food, you will definitely love meat and three. The name explains itself. You have a choice of protein (fried chicken, bbq ribs, fried snapper, etc) and three sides! They have a plethora of delicious sides to choose from + vegan options :) Fried chicken (3 pcs) - you get a breast, wing and drumstick - perfectly fried to a golden crisp. - nice & juicy Bbq ribs - finger lickin fall off the bone tenderness - perfect char - robust smokey bbq sauce (not super sweet like most other places) Gumbo - awesome flavor packed with spices - includes lots of okra, shrimp, some crab, and yummy sausages --------------------SIDES---------------------- Biscuit (2 pcs) - soft & fluffy & to die for! - served with butter & jelly on the side Brussel sprouts - the best I've ever had. Normally Brussel sprouts are bitter but they do a great job getting rid of the taste and making a nice roasted flavor instead! Collard greens (Vegan option available), Cheese grits, smothered green beans, fried okra are also awesome !

    (5)
  • Victor G.

    Brenda's Meat & Three had a vacant parking space in front. so cool! eatery only 1/2 full so took a seat at the counter. nursing a cold, so skipped all fried/bbq/spicy items. -so no fried chicken, po boy, fried fish, fries.... eats: pulled pork sammie (9.75) w/ salad side. -spring mix salad fab. fresh, deliz flavors -pulled pork pieces smothered by sweet bbq sauce, with dill pickles, sweet onions & mayo on toasted bun -interesting taste, not wowed,. pork flavors not tasted. 3.5 stars. notes: -counter seats are a step up from ground level, so was disoriented temporarily stepping down. (glad i noticed step down or a mishap would have occurred.) -tables too close to counter, accidentally brushed another diner on the way out. -should have waited to try since i couldn't order most of the menu. -dinner is where Brenda's Meat & three come in it's one protein and 3 sides(didn't see pricing). -friendly service -skipped the mr. expresso coffee. -nice musical background

    (4)
  • Steven B.

    Brenda's Meat & Three has some of the same dishes as Brenda's Soul Food. The wait time is still over 30 minutes, but it's relatively shorter than their first location. A good thing for fans of their eggs benedict because they have it here also. == Food == Eggs Benedict with Ham. Nicely done soft boiled eggs. Instead of a muffin, it's on a biscuit. A nice southern twist on the dish. It's delicious! == Service == The wait staff is pretty great. Attentive and the food comes out pretty quick. == Overall == One of the best places for eggs benedict!

    (4)
  • Jonathan Y.

    Brunch the day after Thanksgiving wasn't too packed, thankfully. We only waited 5 minutes for a party of 3 around noon. I got a cup of gumbo, which was buttery and spicy and delicious. I also ordered the sweet potato hash, which on first bite with pulled pork was absolutely fantastic. The sweetness of the pork and hash mixed with a creamy, golden egg yolk was so, so good. After I finished 80% of the dish, it started to get a little too sweet for me. But I was a trooper and powered through, and washed it down with some of that jam they have at the tables. Great brunch, will definitely be back!

    (4)
  • Ed U.

    "Meet me at Brenda's" has taken on a whole new level of complexity now that chef owner Brenda Buenviaje has opened a second spot with her familiar Cajun, washboard-scrubbing dishes. Now you have to follow up with... "Whatchutalkinbout, Willis? The one on Polk or the cafe on Diviz... and is that a beignet in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?" Gee, I've loved the food at Brenda's French Soul for the past eight years, so much so that I Yelped it twice and customized the lyrics to Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel" both times (review: bit.ly/1qMTkAv ). When I heard she opened this new place where the Blue Jay Cafe was, it was a matter of moments before I contrived a way to try it. It started with me skipping lunch and having to go to the DMV to get my registration sticker. Since I was on foot in the 'hood, I thought I'd stroll over at 4 in the afternoon, so I could avoid the rush. As I expected, it was pretty empty. Made over in dark woods and Tennessee Williams-style ceiling fans, it definitely has more of a Nawlins vibe but in a diner setting with the big, U-shaped counter and a blow-up on the wall of a vintage Magnolia Hams fruit crate sticker dominating the space (photo: bit.ly/11tikqB ). I sat myself next to the front window where my mini-table was decorated with a tin carpenter's tool carrier filled with utensils and napkins (photo: bit.ly/1vkccgU ). Be forewarned that they still serve the lunch menu at this hour (photo: bit.ly/1yKfHuK ) as breakfast stops at 3PM and dinner starts at 5PM. Fine by me as I wasn't looking to gorge before heading back to the office. Temptations abound for such a concise selection. Fried Seafood Po'boy. Pulled Pork Sandwich. Fried Bologna Sandwich. But I decided to be semi-good and ordered the $10 bowl of Low Country Gumbo (photo: bit.ly/1qMUcVL ). Down-home, lip-smacking deliciousness like a Creole-crazed cioppino with Dungeness crab, shrimp, andouille sausage, okra, tomato, chopped scallions and of course, rice. Good size portion but naturally I went for a side dish, the $3.25 Cheese Grits, a small bowl of steaming hot, creamy grits covered with a layer of melted cheddar (photo: bit.ly/1y8triY ). I really should have stopped at that point, shouldn't I? I mean that was hearty eating even for Big Daddy in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". But no, I was lured into getting a $5.25 slice of the Peanut Butter Icebox Pie drizzled with Chocolate Sauce (photo: bit.ly/1ENHexg ). OK, it wasn't at gunpoint because it sounded like an Arctic Reese's cup, and it was really good. Coming back with Jamie W. soon to try the rest of the menu. FOOD - 4 stars...gumbo & grits are mighty fine but oh, that peanut butter icebox pie AMBIANCE - 4 stars...quite pleasing, probably crowds up really fast SERVICE - 3.5 stars...a bit hazy but it was not the rush after all TOTAL - 4 stars...Brenda strikes twice like lightning...BTW, no beignets here, just calas (NOLA rice donuts)

    (4)
  • Ken P.

    This place wins. Fantastic, flavorful food. Not for the budget or calorie conscious. Great fried chicken, fantastic mac & cheese. Perfect biscuits. Good service. Ignore entitled, narcisissitc vegan and vegetarian reviews. Only in SF would a vegan go to a place called MEAT & THREE and then whine about the vegetarian options....

    (4)
  • Lindsey B.

    Maybe we didn't order the right things, but I was disappointed to find that Brenda's Meat & Three was not as good as the original Brenda's French Soul Food. We shared the meat & three plate with fried chicken, mac n'cheese, collard greens, and cauliflower gratin. The mac n'cheese and the cauliflower were good, the collard greens I wasn't a fan of (they were stewed and limp without much flavor) and the fried chicken was okay - nothing special and actually a small portion (but maybe I just felt that way since we shared it!) We had the fried rice flour doughnuts for dessert which were okay, although I think I like regular flour better :) The molasses butter that came with them was exceptional though. I'll probably give this place another try at some point, but so far not absolutely impressed.

    (3)
  • Ayla L.

    I was trying to find good southern food in the bay area, and after arts crab shack closed in Oakland, I was concerned if I would find good collard greens again. I was lucky enough to pass by Brendas while walking down divisadero the other day, and I tried their friend chicken dinner. I was more than happy to have this very good chicken, which had a great crispiness, well seasoned, and most important to friend chicken, it was moist...not dry within. It was also not greasy which is a big plus. I usually avoid fried food since a lot of places it is greasy and I end up feeling a bit uneasy afterward. However, Brendas was very good, non-greasy, and good quality too. The portions were worth the money, with the sides you get along with it. Overall, great food great price!

    (5)
  • Vijay P.

    Brenda's Meat & Three had a quite opening last week, and the crowds are steadily mounting day after day. I came in for lunch and I was quickly seated at the U shaped bar. The interior is very clean and welcoming as well as the people working there. This spot is a little bit different than the Brenda's on Polk as well as the menu. On this visit I had seafood gumbo and the shrimp po boy with the side of cheese grits. The seafood gumbo was seasoned perfectly, but I added a little crystal for some added kick and I good to go... The shrimp po boy was excellent and the bread was toasted to add a little extra crunch. The cheese grits needed a little more cheesiness, but I'm not going to knock them on that. Service was exceptional and the staff are super friendly. Next trip I am going to have the Meat & 3...

    (5)
  • Keith C.

    Definitely some good southern food. Choose a meat (I love the fried chicken) and 3 sides (Oyster dressing and bread pudding were great) and enjoy! As far as drinks go, they have some decent beer choices, but their watermelon iced tea is delicious! I think my parents have even tried recreating it at home after trying it here. I haven't been to the other Brenda's location yet to compare, but if it's similar to this one I'm sold! Note: Long lines during most eating times, especially on weekends.

    (4)
  • E L.

    ME*: OMG. Remember Brenda's in the T-loin? The New Orleans Pinay? Well, she opened a "meat and three" place on Divisadero and oh-mi-god SHRIMP PO BOY. Every time I thought I'd eaten the last shrimp in that sandwich there was another fat, juicy, cornmeal crusted nugget of the gods secretly nestled among the shredded lettuce and tomato and cloaked in that yummy, tangy remoulade. The po' boy roll (which has to be just right for diehards) was a tiny bit too fluffy for me but did the job of containing the filling with minimal mess which is no easy feat. Other highlights? You can order a side of fried chicken like an ultra-crusty drumstick for $2.75 and they serve it to you all cute-like on a side plate with pepper jam. (Definitely inspired to treat myself to the meal portion next time.) I also HAD to get the red beans and rice with andouille in deliciously porky velvety bean broth. All told, all brilliant on my first try including their staple watermelon iced tea served in a milk bottle. The location is fresher and cheerier than her T-loin joint. I'll definitely be back for the Calas!, spicy fried chicken sando and any dessert that will have me! :) *written to a friend and former SF resident who moved to Miami *written to make her (once again) regret leaving one of the best food cities in the world

    (4)
  • David A R.

    What amazing food. I had The Delta Scramble. a nicely balanced seafood egg dish. I've had similar things where the oysters overwhelmed the dish, but this was perfect. A substantial flavor without being too much. But the really remarkable thing about the meal was the biscuit. My God. I didn't think they could do something so amazing with a little biscuit, but they did. Just extraordinary. I'll go back there just for that. And BTW, the line gets long for brunch. Be prepared to wait for 30 minutes, BUT They have a counter so if you're solo like me you can sometimes beat the line by half an hour on busy days like today.

    (5)
  • Jean K.

    I'm not sure if it's just my memory is not as good or I have more eating experience but I was not impressed by Brenda's Meat & Three for lunch. Possibly the dishes are executed perfectly and I just don't like them. For lunch we split - * calas! - rice donuts are just like heavy donuts and nothing special in the same way that beignets are, 4 to a plate * shrimp hush puppies - giant hush puppies with shrimp chunks in them, meh * cheese grits - pretty good but since I've mastered polenta I'm not as impressed by grits anymore * maque choux - with okra instead of corn, these were really good, especially if you love okra like I do * cream biscuits & country gravy - 2 giant biscuits with country gravy (not enough for the biscuits) and eggs, more than enough for 2 people, I kinda wish the biscuits were smaller because I ran out of gravy and had to slather them with butter, biscuits were good, gravy was okay My friends also split between them the catfish po'boy which they totally forgot about because we had to ask and they said, oh it's coming but then the table next to us got all 4 of their po boys and our one was still nowhere to be seen. Though they apologized it was super late - like the food was all gone and my friends were scraping the bottom of the side dishes while they waited for their po'boy. It's not like I'm always trying to get stuff comped but it was pretty egregious and I'm surprised they didn't do more. Only $15 per person because portions are generous.

    (3)
  • Mandy D.

    Came here for a late dinner and there was no wait on a Saturday. Shared gumbo, the fried chicken with sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and fried okras. Let's just say everything was okay, maybe it was the combination of the sides that didn't satisfy me. I opted for the "light" sides because I didn't want to get overwhelmed on greasy food, but I think that was a bad choice. The gumbo was not bad, since it was my first time having it. The fried chicken, I really didn't like the batter, but the chicken was moist. The sweet potato fries taste like as they should be. The brussels sprouts taste as it should be, but a bit more on the oily side. The fried okras...let's say I didn't like the cornmeal batter on it. It was my expectation vs reality. Expectation obviously lost. However, their brunch photos look delicious and their other sides look tasty as well.

    (3)
  • Madhusudhan R.

    Always go back to the great food! The Service or lack there off is another issue alltogether! The Manager keeps replying to my posts on Yelp but when u are actually in the flesh.., rather disappointing! Bad Taste in your mouth (pun intended) after a great meal. Manager FIx your house DO NOT bother responding to this review

    (3)
  • Paul A.

    My Co-worker and I jut had lunch at Brenda's newest location and couldn't be more pleased. We are both long time fans of Brenda's and this location is just as amazing as the other! The staff is super friendly and extremely attentive, We were greeted with a smile and promptly seated as soon as we arrived. We are so pleased to be one of the first ones here and can't wait to come back and get some dinner!

    (5)
  • Wallace A.

    Good overall. The restaurant is nice size for dining in, clean, good service. I placed order for Two Eggs & Biscuits with Fried Chicken Cutlet. Servers were nice and 3 times after my order servers stopped by register which I was near and asked me if I had been helped. Also beautiful ladies working there and I like being served by beautiful ladies ;) I'm from Atlanta so I'm probably more critical than most when it comes to Southern food, breakfast is my favorite meal and I cook southern breakfast at home. The food was good overall, eggs were plain scrambled no seasoning, my 6 yr old could make them. Biscuits were thick and soft, definitely good but they only come with gravy, where's the butter? The gravy was decent, I thought it was too thick for the biscuits. I didn't like thick biscuits and thick gravy combo. The fried chicken cutlet was good but it reminded me of a chicken fried steak with it's shape. It was spicy, nice touch. The fried part was crispy and juicy. I was really looking forward to this place since not a lot of good southern cuisine in San Francisco or the Bay Area. It didn't necessarily disappoint, just not great.

    (3)
  • Kristan B.

    First off I need to say that I lived 8 years of my life in Texas and Georgia and bbq was eaten weekly so I know my bbq. I loved the fried chicken but I did not like the brisket and wont order that again. The brussel sprouts were a little over cooked for me, I like mine with some firmness to almost a crunch in the middle but I ate them all so it obviously didnt bother me too much. The mac and cheese was good and i enjoyed the freshness of the cole slaw. Also had the rice doughnuts. They were good. Different from what I expected, heavier than a cake doughnut but tasty. I loved the jam with them. My friends had the watermelon sweet tea and enjoyed it. I dont like tea, sweet tea or watermelon needless to say I didnt like it at all but I didnt expect to either. I do want to come back for breakfast and I want to try their grits. I love grits. I hope the next time I come I can update my review to a higher star rating. I have a hunch that will happen.

    (3)
  • Ruchi M.

    Wow - this place did not disappoint. I ordered the shrimp hush puppies as an afterthought and they were unlike any hush puppies I've ever had. They were soft, had two actual shrimp in them, along with corn and scallion, and came with a delicious remoulade. Also got the fried chicken (really delicious) and the watermelon sweet tea, which was just perfectly sweetened and flavored. I can't wait to go back for brunch. The fries are amazing. I read a review on Yelp that mentioned that they taste like McD (my gold standard for fries) and they DO. They were fantastic.

    (5)
  • Timothy L.

    Breakfast/brunch has never been my favorite meal of the day. I never could find what was so special about eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Brenda's Meat & Three didn't change my mind (though I was hoping it would). Calas: Tastes like a beignet, but the texture was different. It's not quite rice pudding, not quite beignet. Just very dense. You may or may not like it. I think it's hit or miss. Nice to try once, but I wouldn't get it again. Watermelon Sweet Tea: Very subtle sweetness and hint of watermelon flavor. A bit watered down even though the color of the tea was very watermelon looking. One-eyed Jack & Chicken Fried Chicken: Let's just call it what it is... a flattened out boneless chicken that's fried. Chicken Fried Chicken sounds a bit more appetizing than it actually is. It was still moist, though, for how flat it was. It's good that it didn't dry out. The flavor was ok too. Everything needed the gravy. The One-eyed Jack, although good, needed gravy or else it would be dry. I also had a small, thinly sliced piece of paper in mine (looked like one of those order receipts cooks get in the back). It was baked right into my biscuit. The egg was perfectly cooked though! Everything was pretty damn expensive too. Add-ons pile on quickly. $4 for a single pancake LOL that's the most ridiculous price I've seen for a single pancake in my life. It better have golden flakes on it. Pancakes, french toast, and waffles are one of the cheapest and easiest things to make. I wouldn't ever buy it separately, but that's just me. All-in-all, I wouldn't come back. Makes me hesitant to wait even longer to try Brenda's French Soul Food.

    (3)
  • Jessica S.

    Raved about this place on their Facebook page and will o so here! Found this place via Yelp and realized this was the sophomore project (which opened around Halloween 2014) to Brenda's French Soul Food on Polk St. A friend and I decided to try this place for my birthday lunch and there was a wait, just as you'd expect from her orginial restaurant; our wait was originally 30-40 mins., but after two parties didn't show, we ended up waiting only 5-7 minutes before getting called. Upon entering, and like the original Brenda's French Soul Food, the place is small, yet cozy and homey. There is a bar in the middle of the place so if you didn't want to wait, ask for a seat at the bar. After getting seated for a some minutes, with our beverages already served, the hostess, also our waitress, takes our order: 1 Pulled Pork and Sweet Potato Hash (with your choice of eggs cooked and their delicious oh-so-light-and-flaky cream biscuit ), 1 Chicken Fried Chicken (with the cole slaw and cream biscuit), and 1 side dish of Calas, which is a crispy, light, and airy donut hole lightly sprinkled with powered sugar on top. The pulled pork dish was simply delicious; I'd recommend over-easy eggs on top! Prior to food arriving, our hostess waitress leaves and my friend and I chat; every so often, there would be another waitress, Kaitlyn, casually checking in on us, and after about 20 minutes, Kaitlyn notices our meals haven't arrived. She asked whether our order has been taken, we tell her yes; she then asks who took our order and how long we've been waiting. We told her roughly 20 minutes, and that the hostess took our order; she told us that was too long and that our tab hadn't been put into the computer. Kaitlyn efficiently takes our original order and tells us our meal would be compensated due to a restaurant staff mistake, of which was unexpected. On top of that, when our first dish, the Calas, came out, Brenda, chef & chief proprietor, personally served it and apologized for the error. Being laid back people, my friend and I understood if the tab took awhile as the staff was busy. What we didn't see coming was the extra steps the staff willingly took to keep their patrons happy. My friend was so happy with her dining experience, that she left a huge tip at the end. When we were about to leave, my friend and I find out the hostess is owner's wife. Plus, I wanted a photo with the aweome owner Brenda; since she was so busy with cooking, I didn't think she'd agree, but she was cool with it. We took our picture together and, as promised to Brenda, posted on "Brenda's Meat & Three"'s Facebook page. I'd give this place 6 stars! Thank you, Brenda & staff for delicious food, awesome clientele and customer service. You all are a model example of how to run a restaurant! Will definitely grab other friends next time to try this place!

    (5)
  • Robert M.

    Brenda set the bar with the original spot on Polk that she nurtured and grew to the iconic establishment it is today. She has outdone herself with Meat and Three. Sticking to comfortable, both in food and decor, she had done it again! Cannot wait to go back and try some additional items, but right now basking in the deliciousness of those biscuits and gravy.

    (5)
  • Reddy G.

    I was very excited to come here, as I live on the corner and was hoping this would become my daily breakfast haunt. It won't be. Ordered: two eggs scrambled with potato hash, a bowl of fruit, mimosa, water. Thoughts: potatoes are cold, consistency is like a gritty pâté. Scrambled eggs are pale yellow,flavorless and soupy yet rubbery. Fruit is fine despite seeming like it was frozen at some point. Oh and the waiter brought me a paid check for someone else. Won't be back, glad I gave it a try. Wasted $22. Silver lining: Mimosas make mornings magnificent.

    (1)
  • Jo M.

    Epicly good soul food. I had the calas, which are like made to order bignets, and the biscuits and gravy. Both were really good. I order b&g everywhere I go and these were some of the best I've had. The calas were spiced and had chunks of apple(?) And were hot and not to sweet. Every one else had delicious looking food. Service was good. The decor was simple and attractive. It is in a neiborhood without a lot of restaurants so definitely worth a visit.

    (4)
  • Coralie S.

    My boyfriend and I came here on a Sunday morning. We got there at 10, put our name on the list and less than 5 minutes later we were seated in their lovely outdoor patio. The place is really cozy and the staff is really nice. This being said, I was not impressed by the food. At all. My boyfriend got their special Bloody Mary and didn't like it, it's spicy and not for everyone. I got the catfish Po Boy and he got the egg Benedict with fried chicken. The Po Boy was fine, the fish was good, the coleslaw wasn't crunchy enough for me. The poached eggs were overcooked, the biscuit was too hard and the grits were really plain. The chicken was good though. I will come back to test their sweet things: pancakes and French toasts. I also want to try to meat and three but for brunch, I am not convinced.

    (3)
  • Angie P.

    When I heard about this place I was excited because I love Brenda's on Polk Street. So for our anniversary, we made it point to try it out for lunch. Parking: it's San Francisco. Parking is a rare gem. You deal what the cards give you. Service: Well this was a little slow. It took a few minutes to be seated. Once we were seated they took our drink orders. After that, they just asked if we were ready. The restaurant didn't look super busy and I know could read the specials but it would have been nice to have some sort of conversation about the menu and specials. Or even asked if we've ever been to this establishment. The service was just ok. Lunch time is as important as dinner. Food and drinks: Drinks first. What do you have a Brenda's? Of course you get the watermelon sweet ice tea! Sadly to say, this was the most disappointing sweet tea I've had. The tea was strong and the drink looked thicker than usual. It wasn't sweet at all. If you're going to advertise a SWEET TEA, it better be sweet. I'm not saying it's not sweet enough it just wasn't sweet at all. I tried to just drink it but I couldn't take it anymore so I told our server and he didn't say anything me just took it away and gave us water. Then when the bill came, I told the person at the register who I think was the manager and told him I sent the sweet tea back because it wasn't sweet. His reply, "You could have added sugar because it's right next to you." Again, if you are going to advertise SWEET TEA there should be sugar in it already. After his rude comment, he took it off our bill. What gall! Again, the place wasn't even that busy for lunch. Food next. I ordered the Creole Shrimp Pot Pie and my girlfriend ordered the Pulled Pork Hash. The pulled pork hash was really good. Instead of chunks of sweet potato, it was mashed. It worked well and was well seasoned with the right amount of heat. Now the creole shrimp pot pie on the other hand was not to my liking. The salad it came with was great but I felt was too overdressed but it balanced the nice kick of heat you get from the pot pie. Now the pot pie. I've been to New Orleans. I know what creole food tastes like and I know this is just another rendition of a classic dish. But the inside of the pie had too much of the holy trinity (onions, celery, and bell peppers) and a little bit of shrimp. It should have been called creole onion, celery, and bell peppers. The onions were nicely cooked, the celery could have been cooked longer and the bell peppers could have been cut smaller. Both the bell peppers and celery over powered the whole dish and that's all you taste. I'll provide pictures. Well all in all, despite the great recommendations from my friends, I did not have a great experience at this restaurant. It's sad because like I said I love Brenda's on Polk and had the same expectations for this place. Will I be back, probably not.

    (2)
  • Sara F.

    The grits... wow. Buttery, creamy... smooth, dare I say fluffy? So good! The Delta scramble served along side was like a full frittata of goodness, shrimp, oysters, okra, sausage. The flavors were spectacular! There was a bit of a wait, but well worth it I would have to admit.

    (4)
  • May G.

    I've seen Brenda's on Polk for many years and never ate there because of the line. I went for breakfast today and am glad I did. ****Stuffed Johnnycakes: seasoning was PERFECT, would've gotten 5 stars but it was room temperature when we were served *****Creole-fried chicken cutlet: Well seasoned, moist piece of chicken breast *****Shrimp & Grits: OMG. I asked for this to be made extra spicy. First the waitress said it couldn't be done but I insisted her ask the cook and he did. This was the BEST shrimp & grits I've ever had. PERFECTION *Pulled pork hash: my friend ordered this and my shrimp & grits came first which she sampled. Nothing else would/could match mine. There's no comparison because your taste buds have been compromise, I would go back just for the shrimp & grits and nothing else. I would stand in line and wait which is a rarity.

    (4)
  • Phil D.

    Favourite meal in San Fran and we ate at some gorgeous places (hops & hominy, tipsy pig) Thought we'd have to queue at 7pm on a Saturday night but straight in to sit at the counter. Eating with our eight year old daughter who was made to feel very welcome. Loved all the food but would recommend the fried chicken. Super fast and friendly service. Heartily recommended.

    (5)
  • Mandi W.

    Well hello my new brunch spot- where have you been all my life? These guys know what they're doing for brunch and I'm not just talkin about their food. When you put your name down on their list- cuz obviously they'll have a wait, their app texts u when you're up and then u have 10 minutes to get there before your table is given up. And onto the food. Eggs Benedict was awesome, so was their one eyed jack with the country fried chicken with gravy. Mmmmm gravy Oh but their coffee sucks.

    (5)
  • Susan B.

    Oily and greasy. My fried chicken came in a pool of oil as though the cook had put it directly on the plate carrying a lot of the oil from the fryer. When I pointed it out to the waitperson, she told me that the chicken came dipped in a sauce(?), but could get me another plate or replace my fries. The seasoning on the chicken was good, but the chicken inside was dry. The pulled pork sandwich came slathered in mayo and was dripping juice all over. The coleslaw was OK. The green salad that came with the pulled pork was over dressed. The watermelon pickles were good. The best part of the lunch was the AMAZING biscuit. The service was good, the music was great. If I come back it will be for breakfast and I will sit outside.

    (2)
  • Casey L.

    The ambiance and service here were great. I ordered the succotash & white cheddar omelette, which was a little odd but good. My friend got the johnnycakes to start and then the fried chicken benedict for the main. Both were executed well. Solid Southern-inspired option in SF.

    (4)
  • Tammie C.

    Brenda's is a hearty, soul-food kind of place with a new second location in the western addition located on Divisadero. Decided to try our luck for brunch on a Sunday morning around 10am and there was only a 5-10 minute wait for a party of two. (Score!) The menu is slightly different from the original location in the tenderloin, but there is still some iteration of grits, biscuits, fried things and good (but so bad for you) food. Here's what we tried: Calasi- a dense donut fried in a rice batter topped with powdered sugar which comes in a serving of 4. The donut was made perfectly but I wasn't a fan of the dense and doughy rice filling inside. However, if you dip it in the jam they have at every table, it becomes a little more edible. Not worth the carbs and still a fan of the traditional beignet. Fuji apple pancake special with walnuts and tons of syrup-- this was actually surprisingly delicious. The syrup was fused and melted with butter and topped with a chopped apple compote. Pancakes were perfectly fluffy and huge. If you're a sweet tooth kinda person, this will definitely fit the bill. Eggs benedict with creole sauce. You have a choice of pulled pork, Florentine or fried catfish. Since it's a southern brunch place, I opted for the fried catfish and unfortunately there was nothing tasty about it and definitely fell flat. The biscuit base was more dense and crumbly than fluffy and the catfish itself was not crispy and frankly so thin and almost non-existent. As for the side, you can choose grits or potato hash so we went with the potatoes. The portion of potatoes can probably feed a family of 4. I like the crispy on the outside, tender on the inside kind of potato, but this was all chewy and no crunchy. Very mediocre. The eggs were also a little overcooked for a traditional poached egg on a benedict. As for the ambiance itself, they laid out the restaurant pretty nicely given the small space. There is bar seating around the center that can seat up to 15-20 people, small tables on both sides which can probably sit ~20 people and a quaint little outdoor patio with a few seats. There's not much decoration, but since everything looks remodeled/new, it's nice. The service was great and they were definitely generous with the coffee check-ins. Good, but not amazing food.

    (3)
  • Victoria O.

    A sad, tired, wannabe of the original Brenda's downtown. Have now had both brunch and dinner there and have been extremely underwhelmed. For dinner it was blah at best. I had the fried chicken, Mac n cheese, grits and I ordered a biscuit but never got it. For brunch we had the catfish Benedict with grits, omelet with canned veggies and sad breakfast potatoes and the rice ball wanna be beignet substitute for dessert. Watermelon iced tea tasted funky both times. Really can't understand how there is a long line over the weekends. My thought is that it is either A. People trying it for the first time (to not return again) or B. That neighborhood is desperate for brunch places. Either way, I would save your time and money and go to the original Brenda's for a yummy meal.

    (2)
  • Kristine R.

    I went for lunch with the little one and mom. The wait wasn't too bad, only about 20 minutes. The manager was very friendly, and was playful with my son. On to food - I ordered a blood orange mimosa and the manager came out and gave my son a complimentary biscuit while we waited. Very sweet! My mom got the spicy chicken sandwich and her opinion of it was it was too spicy! I tried it as well and there was some sort of spicy curry and/or turmeric seasoning in it. Completely unexpected as it wasn't on the menu which it should have been. Yes, the menu does state that it's their "secret recipe" but curry is something that I don't want to be surprised with! I definitely was not a fan. I ordered the Shrimp & Grits which came with a yummy bacon gravy. No complaints. I couldn't finish my meal, I took the rest and finished it off for dinner. I needed a nap after this meal!

    (4)
  • Nancy D.

    Want to give more than three stars yet holding off for now after a second visit to Brenda's Meat & Three today. It's good but not great yet for me. Price, value, and service good. As I find in many restaurants today, portions are generous and way too much for me and find myself taking what's left home. Thinking to go with several sides next visit. Original visit tried a biscuit, cheese grits and one of the egg specials for the day. As a Southern girl, I found the biscuit too dry, the grits creamy and tasty, the egg dish way too heavy in the cheese department. Second visit went with an Oyster Po'Boy, knowing the sandwich was too huge to even attempt a bite, does anyone really have a mouth this big? The cornmeal fried oysters were creamy and good with a generous portion, the remoulade tasty, unfortunately the sliced tomatoes were anemic and flavorless. Coleslaw very good.

    (3)
  • Josh S.

    Brenda's Meat and Three is the cheeky sister to Brenda's, which is located on Divisadero. The restaurant gets its name from the method in which you order your food - select one meat option and three sides. I ordered the braised beef short ribs and chose the mac n' cheese, sautéed spinach with garlic, and biscuit as my sides. The short rib was fork tender and an acceptable portion size. All three of my sides were good, but needed more seasoning. The flavors were there, but needed to be enhanced some more. I did, however, enjoy the fact that the mac n' cheese kept its cheesy texture. Sometimes mac n' cheese can be a miss, because when cooking, the heat is too high and the fats in the dairy products begin to separate. Thus, a grainy texture or an oily un-flavorful sauce is made. The decor is reminiscent of it's bigger sister location, but with less southern vibes. Overall, I thought it was a decent meal, but the price point was too high for the quality of food. The original Brenda's is still my favorite of the two.

    (3)
  • Kim S.

    The notion that "no reservations" is a middle finger to the customers in the benefit to the restaurant! I called, (no answer), wrote ("no reservations") to Brenda's and showed dup to a one and half-hour wait! Why not save us the aggravation and take reservations....who wants to wait that time?? POOR business policy!!

    (1)
  • Hannah B.

    Went for dinner last night and can say with confidence, this is the best meal I've had in San Francisco. I may be biased as I was raised in the south, but this food just tastes like home. I got the meatloaf with cauliflower, rice and beans, and coleslaw. I had a feeling the plate would be massive, so I split one meal with a friend. The portion ended up being perfect for two hungry people. The meatloaf was on point. Great gravy and the onions on top was a nice touch. The cauliflower was incredible. It was rich and creamy and just perfect. The rice and beans and coleslaw were seasoned well and paired nicely with the rest of the meal. Price range- cheap. I paid $21 for two people to share a giant meal. Bottom line- if you're looking for a solid comfort food spot after Karl has engulfed the streets and you realize it is not ALWAYS perfect weather here, this is the spot to go.

    (5)
  • Kalyn B.

    Wow! This place was amazing! We didn't have a long wait, the food came out quickly and it was delicious!

    (5)
  • Natalie W.

    This review is for dinner. My boyfriend and I live in the neighborhood so decided to check this place out one night. I got greens (lacking flavor), broccoli au gratin (also lacking flavor), biscuits (small, not flakey), and another veggie that was totally unremarkable and not memorable. My boyfriend got spare ribs which were dry and disappointing. And we paid a lot for this totally mediocre food. So we won't be back, there are too many reasonably priced places out there with better food.

    (2)
  • C L.

    OMG so yummy fried chicken--love!

    (4)
  • Terrance J.

    I ate here on Sunday I have to say the service was excellent and the food was great. The staff here was excellent after going to to Brenda's other location where the guy was not friendly or helpful found out about this location so glad that we came here. The pork belly and the Johnny Cakes are the best.

    (5)
  • Dan S.

    Had dinner on the last night of our visit, recommended by a friend. Delivers as promised: great comfort food. We had the fried chicken and beef brisket and put the sides in the middle to be shared. "Lost Rice" Donuts were a good choice for dessert, especially with the molasses butter. Staff was very friendly.

    (4)
  • Billy M.

    Very pleased with everything about this place! Service was quick, professional, and they refilled drinks before they were ever empty. (Big points in my book). Food was fantastic. We had the "calas" small, gourmet donut holes. With lots of dipping options that were all excellent. For brunch we got shrimp and grits, and creole fried chicken. 10/10! Try it!

    (5)
  • E F.

    My biggest fear is that this place is discovered. So what do I do? Publicize it. Stupid. But this place deserves all the accolades and business it gets Great tasting and non pretentious food, terrific staff, ridiculous value, cool atmospherics, and impossible parking all describe this wonderful gem. The food is prepared with great care, even in the busiest of times. The key is to pick a meat dish and three sides that are listed daily on the boards. There is also a menu I didn't even look at but realized I should have as I saw a huge and yummy looking salad go by. And if you want, just order four sides! The fried chicken is to die for, moist but not at all oily or greasy. My dinner party also tried the Cajun roast pork (tender and not spicy) and the chicken fried steak (done perfectly). The sides were unbelievably scrumptious, from oyster stuffing to okra and tomatoes to the coleslaw. As an aside, I have loved coleslaw throughout my life and ordered it here spontaneously, but I did not expect much. Incredibly it was very well prepared, which tells me nothing is "mailed in" here. So next time I not waste my time with the familiar and will try their other unique sides: the garlic spinach, mashed sweet potatoes, fried okra, or the 10 or so other choices. We got there before six on a weeknight and sat down right away. By the time we left there was already a line. I imagine it gets really busy at other times. Cool bar seating is you are alone, and it looks like they have take out as well. Hmm, great take out BBQ ribs for a night watching the Giants. That would work. Damn, the city needs more places like this. Can I give 6 stars?

    (5)
  • Heather L.

    I really wasn't impressed by this place. Although they do not take reservations, we had no problems getting a table. Throughout our whole meal there were flies flying around. I had to keep swatting them away. Anyway, my niece chose this place for her bday dinner. She ordered the fried chicken with mac n cheese, spinach and a fresh biscuit. I thought that getting a full meal with three sides would be too much food for me so I got two pieces of chicken, a biscuit and the coleslaw. The chicken was juicy but the skin was not as crispy as I would have wanted it to be. The biscuit was good and it came with fresh strawberry jam. Coleslaw was nothing special. We saw another couple eating what we thought were ribs but they weren't. But we ordered a side of ribs. The sauce was way too sour for us and it was 3 ribs for $8. My niece liked her food but barely finished it. We also ordered dessert which was a peach cobbler and some round donut balls. The donut balls came with strawberry jam and molasses butter. The peach cobbler was on the sour side and just not my cup of tea. Dinner came out to be around $60 including their healthy tax. The only thing that was perfect was their watermelon iced tea. I think I prefer getting brunch from the original Brenda's but I'm not patient enough to wait in that line.

    (1)
  • Sojourner V.

    Great little brunch spot definitely would come again...just make sure you arrive a little bit early As there might be away. Food was great. A favorite of mine would be the French toast very simple but very good!

    (4)
  • Alexandra S.

    This spot was awesome. One of the best brunch experiences I've had in SF. Showed up on a Saturday morning around 11:30 with 2 other folks and had a 20 minute wait. No biggie. The staff was awesome. They were jokey with me and my friends and super attentive to us. But the food. The food! We all ordered and shared everything: the calas (not as sweet as I hoped, and the molasses butter was...interesting), amazing grits (and I'm from the South, so I'd like to think I know), some of the best biscuits I've had, the Creole-fried chicken with sausage gravy (YUM), and the pulled pork and sweet potato hash (which was just alright). We topped it off with peach mimosas, and had a great brunch. The atmosphere on the back patio (where we were seated) was a great space with low noise levels coming from patrons. Our servers were funny, timely, and helpful when we asked for suggestions. I'm definitely coming back, and next time for dinner!

    (5)
  • Josh B.

    Took advantage of Superbowl Sunday to try out this otherwise mobbed restaurant. We could see why it's popular; if you've only been here for brunch, try dinner as well. The "meat and three" concept is well-explained by Brenda's. For a supremely affordable $13-15, you get a meal big enough for a big guy like me, or enough for most people to take home lunch. The sides are tasty and range from well-executed traditional favorites (cheese grits, collards) to Cal-Southern fusion. Interestingly, several of the sides are vegetarian, or even vegan, and Brenda's offers and "all sides" dinner option. While I can't imagine a strict vegetarian seeking out Brenda's, if it's where your friends are going, they will have what for you to eat. On a non-crush evening, the servers were very friendly, attentive, and well-informed. Our server even knew some historical information about the Southern dishes. Highly recommended.

    (4)
  • Michelle K.

    Came here for brunch on Saturday with two others. The patio was lovely--the decorations were cute, the table and the bench was a nice rustic touch. Our server was friendly and humorous, the service, efficient. I got the eggs benedict with creole hollandaise sauce (with pulled pork) and potato hash. I was expecting hash browns but it was potatoes with some seasoning. Not my favorite thing ever. They were kind of mushy with no real crunch. The eggs were on point but the pulled pork was unexpectedly a little tart. We shared a berry flapjack stack. SO FLUFFY. And not too sweet! I'm partial to savory brunch dishes but this was solid. Another friend got the delta scramble of which I only had a bite. This may have stolen the show, however. By far the best thing on the menu though was the biscuits. Flaky and fluffy. Not too dense. What more could you ask for? Especially wonderful with gravy. The gumbo was also good. Overall, I'd like to come back to try the po' boys or etouffée but maybe I'll check out Brenda's French Soul Food in the TL because what I really want is the beignet flight.

    (3)
  • Yummy S.

    Customer service sucks. The food is not so good and my party of three was rushed from our table even though the place was empty . Who serves mimosas in a shot glass? ( Blank stare)

    (1)
  • Kelvin Y.

    Wow! Amazing! I came for the fried chicken from reading about it in an article, but fell in love with the pork belly grits! The Jonny Cakes are also a must have! so much flavor packed into a little grilled cake!

    (5)
  • Shreya C.

    Not gonna lie, I'm a sucker for a good Southern joint. And this place did not disappoint. We started with the biscuit (fantastic), had the Okra and Tomatoes (good), the chicken apple sausage (excellent, tasty, juicy, perfectly cooked) and for our main courses had the gumbo and fried chicken sandwich. Both of these dishes were so incredibly tasty. Gumbo was perfectly flavored and hearty. Chicken was marinated in something delicious. The joint is a great, open space. Lots of light. Definitely a nice brunch atmosphere. We met the..owner(?) or manager, can't be sure which. He was super friendly and engaging and took the time to chat with us. Our waitress seemed to tolerate us with some effort which is the only room for improvement I'd suggest but it wasn't bad service. Food was out quickly and she was ok, not great, but ok. That said, I'd absolutely come back here. Great brunch spot.

    (5)
  • Yondome C.

    I heard that Brenda open up a new restaurant secondary lunch and on my birthday I surprise my brother taking him to Brenda's now I'm so happy he's not the five for I live and she cooks her ass off I love the food and I love the people who work there they are so awesome shout out to the woman in the purple jeans and a purple paper in the purple glasses you were so fucking hot

    (5)
  • Kevin K.

    We came here for brunch, as most SFers love to do. Food was good, the wait sucked. Theres outdoor seating usually with less wait, but there is no heater so beware if its chilly out. I got the Gumbo, pretty good but not as good as real southern gumbo. Decent prices, food was great. My friends ordered 2 different types of omelets. Coffee kept flowing, which I love. 4/5 because coleslaw was the worst I've ever had.

    (4)
  • Julianna I.

    I like being in the know. I like going to places others have been or will be going to so that I can contribute to these SF foodie conversations. I had heard a lot of Brenda's so I felt pretty cool standing outside Brenda's with a big group for 20 minutes to get a seat at their brunch. I mean...standing outside a happening place is pretty cool right? Not really! Especially when they set the expectation that the food would be great and the food was....okay. Not bad, just not great. The coffee was definitely a one star, and when we asked the waitress what it was, she responded with "Mr Nespresso". Is that a coffee? or was she being a jerk. That means service is a 2 star too. Also, we got into the restaurant to wait for a table, but (because it was our first time) we didn't put our name on the list outside. (how archaic, really a self-managed list?) So the table of 6 that came after us got seated first, because they knew something we didn't. Maybe that isn't Brenda's fault, but the hostess definitely knew, and if Brenda's attracts douches then I don't need to go again.

    (3)
  • Elle S.

    Got there around 10:15 am on a Saturday and waited about 30 minutes. Everything was only ok, nothing extraordinary. We had biscuits, banana foster french toast, pork belly grits, coffee, and a bloody mary. Rating is just for food alone, but service was inattentive too. The host who seated us was friendly but the waitress accidentally left out an entree and didn't refill coffee.

    (3)
  • Donovan L.

    Living. Around my Neighborhood.. I'd seldom explore . Walking towards Nopa or any Happy Hour .. I chanced on this Place saw the menu .. True Enough My Instinct was correct.. GOOD FOOD... Best part was Anthony.. The Bartender con Server.. Gives you the Best neighborhood Welcome.. Very Honest to good .. Should I come back... YES.. I'd taste more of what they offer.. Mac n Cheese is a Bomb... To the last bite.. Fried Catfish !! yes!!!! Bring a friend to share.. Serving is awesome.. Manager was friendly ... A very neighborhood Place to dine !!!

    (5)
  • Lori S.

    First time there and last.. Ordered catfish.. It was still frozen inside.. I didn't know fish was so tough to break a part with a fork!! The cornmeal just fell off the catfish.. Over priced.. $16.75 for one piece of catfish with three sides which was really small, it came in a 6oz container half filled.. Collard greens were way too salty Sweet potato fries were not crispy or fully cooked.. Mac and cheese looked dried

    (1)
  • Albertino M.

    Time: 1:47pm/68°F sunny Purpose: On my way to the sunset district got a call that the meeting will delay for at least an hour, no fault of my own. So now I'm stuck at a halfway point head to office or park and get some leg exercises. Ambiance: From the outside looking in seems fully remodel from previous business. The color of black, white, and gold flourishing wall to wall. Center sits aa horseshoe shape counter with a 10 person counter seater with rsvp booking in front (evenings). Tables surrounding the counter front and back. Behind the bar bench style seating with utility compartment below. All tables sits a galvanized metal utensil carrier with menu set up for two. No art work or frame picture of any kind. The only art I saw was the large pig picture of early days Magnolia Hams ad board. Place didn't feel stuffy at all as front door was adjar ceiling fans slowly twirling. Since place is located on a slightly incline depending on where you seat you may not see the full view of busy Divisadero street. The front window brick structure is higher than being seated inside. Very simple neighborhood eatery with a sense of down south feel. Mostly american vocal jazz music playing singers like Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Etta James etc. Not too loud low enough to be heard and still manage to chat with your party. Staff: I had a host/waitress that either had dementia or just didn't care whether I came to eat or not. When I sat down I got my water and ask if I'm ready to order? I kindly said please allow me about 2-3 minutes as I just sat down didn't even lay eyes on menu yet. She took off and disappear for a mere good 5 minutes. At that point I nearly wave the other staff for ordering. Other staff pointed me out to her she look over like oh when did you come in? I'm not invisible you know just a little irritated. Cleanliness: Grade A, new place everything spic and span ready to go. Kitchen looks clean all new equipments so is the restroom. Eats/Drinks: Big Moma's spicy chicken sandwich $10.75 and Pierre sparkling water $2. The sandwich here was huge and the weight of it was good. Comes with a heaping spoonful of house made coleslaw and dill pickles. Now description listed it as spicy but I didn't feel that heat level of spiciness. Don't get me wrong it was hot and crispy just need extra kick to get me saying more water please? Went ahead and added tabasco sauce in hope that it will work. It did kinda work but still prefer the embedded spiciness when it's first made. Buns were perfect, lightly toasted with soft airy feel that your fingers won't go through. The slaw was good right balance and fresh crisp crunch on each chump. Scoop some up and dump it on top of chicken patty thus making it huge. I had to compress it to fit in mouth with each bite. I like the portion sizes just needs a little more flavor and heat for me to say WOW. Not bad can improve with time. Products/Services: Soup, salads, pie baskets, fritters, fried oysters/okra, mac & cheese, grits, country biscuits, sandwiches, gumbos, hush puppies, sides, cold/hot beverages, beers on tap/bottled & can, Pó Boy sandwiches. Vegetarian options. Tea by Mighty Tea Leaf, coffee by Peerless Coffee. Watermelon sweet tea, ginger beer. Punch Lines: Counter seating, feeling of the south, spacious, clean concept, matching color scheme, staff seems a bit confuse, food wait time less than 5, good portion sizes, made to order, food came hot/fresh, moderately price, no fancy frills, classy jazz music, relaxing atmosphere, no kids menu, booster chairs, heavy travel street, parking streets only, bike rack in front, muni accessible. Tradeoffs: Chicken sandwich here better than Bakesale Betty for almost $11 it's well worth coming for. Not premade here and certainly no lines halfway up the block. None of that neighborhood hipster food theme. Final Thoughts: You come here to relax and unwind while grabbing a meal. This place has shown me what their about and the type of clientele it attracts. Certainly a place for the discerning crowd. Low key not shabby just good old southern eats with a touch of modern vibe. Didn't feel out of place what ever your ethnicity you can certainly enjoy something that will interest you. I will overlook the action of the waitress being not attentive and forgot about me, as the food holds up for me. Definitely be back soon for the breakfast offerings.

    (4)
  • Shannon K.

    I am only giving this restaurant 3 Stars because I thought the food was ok, but the hostess and waitress deserved 2 or 3 stars. I was really unimpressed with this place. My friends were really excited to go here, but we won't be going back again. When we entered the restaurant the hostess was really rude when she almost wasn't going to seat the 3 of us at a 4 top table, as our 4th person was parking the car. We understand the concept of not monopolizing tables, but we explained that we were going to order immediately for our 4th person. We sat down and our waitress took our orders as we all explained that we were going to have the chicken sandwich. She snapped at us that they have a menu on the wall where we can choose a "meat and 3 sides." We were aware of this; we specifically came here to have those chicken sandwiches for our friend's birthday because that was what she wanted. It was as if the waitress was scoffing at us for ordering items that were less expensive, which was very off putting. Lastly, our water glasses were not being refilled. I was put off by Brenda's Meat & Three and I won't be returning. There are MANY restaurants in S.F. that have much better food, have a nicer ambience, and don't come with the aloof and arrogant vibe.

    (3)
  • Dayna E.

    Holy Moly. If you already love Brenda's in the TL, than you won't be disappointed. The food was absolutely delicious. If you're on a cheat day, and don't mind the calories, don't hesitate. I especially found the shrimp hush puppies fabulous. YUM!!

    (5)
  • Natalie F.

    I was excited to write this today! A former co-woker and his partner introduced me to this place last night. There were 4 of us and we only waited about 20 minutes for a table for dinner. This place is located near a good number of bars so we just went and grabbed a quick drink. Off top, the food here is to die for. With every bite I would make sounds like "OOOh...MMmmmm...Oh God!". It got very sexual. To start we had the shrimp hushpuppies, gumbo, and the chicory and watermelon salad. My faves were the hushpuppies and the gumbo. My mama makes amazing gumbo and this goes toe to toe with hers. Since there four of us we all ordered different things [meat]. We got catfish, fried chicken, short rips and bbq ribs. And you know what...it all was amazing. No wait, perfect. Everything was perfectly cooked. For sides we got Mac n' Cheese,Yams, Collard Greens, Green Beans, Grits, Cream Biscuit, Cauliflower Gratin, Fried Okra [I think that's it]. And you know what....That was amazing too! We had two bottles of wine which paired well with our meals. Please check this place out. The portions are great and the prices are reasonable and best of all the food is bomb as hell!

    (5)
  • Kevin O.

    Every single thing we ordered was incredibly tasty and our food and drinks arrived quickly despite being very busy.

    (5)
  • Chiara M.

    Had the pancakes and the fried chicken with the biscuits and gravy. It was a little on the heavy side but everything was great. We got there early enough that there wasn't a wait so we got service pretty quickly. I will definitely go back.

    (4)
  • Richard D.

    Oh it is with a truly heavy heart that I write this review - have long been a fan (as has most of SF) of the creole inspired Brenda's original Soul Food restaurant - with near endless options in/around the Bay Area, and especially SF, it is amazing to find such a place that not only finds its niche but does it consistently so that you want to go back - the savory Beignets at Brenda's with shrimp and cheddar are so memorable in flavor that we keep comparing things we find all over to just that one dish!! So, when Brenda decided to open so much closer to us on Divis with "Meat & Three"' well, sign us up - no line is too long to get in and see what she has done with this location - we drove over thinking about those Beignets (had read about the new donuts) and everything else that might be concocted...mmmmmmmmm Wait was not too bad - about 12:30pm we got there, approx 30min wait - totally reasonable and seemed like a good flow - looking over the menu, we saw a must - Johnny Cakes - similar ingredients to the savory beignets - Cheddar, shrimp, and scallions with some spice - so that was a must - we eagerly awaited our shot. Sat in back on a small patio with a sort of folding type table - now, when a meal takes you to a special flavor place, all of the little things you might not normally notice take a back seat...BUT...when a meal disappoints, then all the little things take front stage - for example, the chairs are a thin metal that were rather uncomfortable and the folding tables had an awkward brace that forced your legs in a weird position - wouldn't normally quibble about that, but as you'll find out, the meal was less than inspiring... Plus - Johnny Cakes were outstanding - nice fluffy cake filled with cheddar, shrimp, corn, and great creole flavoring of just enough spice complimented by a gooey middle that oozed cheese!! (was served with some sort of spice butter that was not great - would encourage a more hot pepper jelly type to go with the cake); also the coffee was good... I had the chicken-fried-chicken-steak with biscuits and gravy - the chicken steak was rather delicious - nice breading, not overcooked (can sometimes make it very dry); the gravy was disappointing - served in side cup, it was so watery that it kinda diluted the flavor - there were nice big chunks of sausage in there, but the consistency was more soup like (not in a good way) - the biscuits were ok - nicely prepped with my over easy eggs in them, which was creative, but the biscuits were a bit dense for my liking, prefer a larger more unstructured biscuit that crumbles versus a formed biscuit that resembles a donut - side bacon was tasty though - overall the meal was "ok". My gf had the major let down - three major rules broken - she went with fried-catfish Benedict and finished only half - here we go: 1) Entire dish was served cold - not usually ones to send food back, we almost did - my food by contrast was rather warm 2) A hair on the dish - again, not usually squeamish about things like this, but given experience, have to call this out 3) One biscuit so hard that was inedible - again, this might be due to whole dish being cold, but the biscuit was just bad Overall, concept was decent attempt - the catfish wasn't bad (although I might suggest soaking in milk or buttermilk for a day prior to cooking), but the entire dish was just poor. Now - we will go back to see if this can right itself - and chances are it will, Brenda's original is just too good - and restaurant is only a few weeks old, so maybe we can chalk this up to startup issues - but it was a great disappointment after so often dreaming of those original savory Bignets.

    (2)
  • Jessica K.

    My boyfriend and I were really looking forward to the meal at Brenda's Meat and Three. We should have loved it- the menu was right up our alley, the ambiance was nice, the restaurant has received lots of praise- but we were disappointed with the food and the service. I had to ask the waiter three times to get water on the table. The third time we asked my boyfriend actually had to get up and walk over to him to ask, and instead of apologizing, he just said "sure" and it still took a few minutes for him to get the water to the table. It was a Friday afternoon too, so it's not like the place was packed. Our waiter did make a great food recommendation though, the johnny cakes starter. I definitely recommend those. The johnny cakes were so delicious that we anticipated our entrees to be just as tasty. The fried chicken and the pulled pork sandwich, however, just meh. Take it or leave it. We really just weren't impressed.

    (3)
  • Monkey B.

    A bit disappointed I have to say...I had heard so much about Brenda's that when I found out the sister restaurant was opening by my house I didn't wait very long to try it: we went 3 days after it opened. The good stuff: -our bearded waiter was patient, sweet and efficient. -the wait wasn't too bad, they have a good texting system -the fried oysters were tasty The bad stuff: -too expensive -bad quality sandwich bread -sloppy, too much sauce... -bland and dry potatoes -the decor is sterile; has no character, no SOUL The skinny: If you are going to charge $14 for a sandwich it better have good quality bread. Going out to brunch is a treat for me therefore I need to feel like I can't make the stuff better at home... This is how I felt about the potatoes. The whole experience felt rushed. The sandwich was so sloppy and no greens or fruit to make the plate a bit more appetizing. My GF wanted some collard greens but apparently they don't serve them for brunch. We left feeling bloated and heavy with carbs. More love and soul in the food (and on the walls, the white walls remind me of how our city is turning white and bland, how about some colors? Paintings of musicians? Plants? ) please.

    (2)
  • Mei F.

    We had such an amazing lunch today. The photos I've included are good, but you have no idea until you taste the food! I predict long lines for this place. I was wowed by the menu and the staff was so friendly. Go if you're vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, or just carnivorous. You'll be very satisfied by each and every dish. Damn fine comfort food!

    (5)
  • T Shane G.

    We arrived to a 7:50 AM line for their innaugural Sunday morning brunch. They opened at 8:00 and promptly filled the beautiful, new space. Service was great. We were checked on by three different people. I'd rather have redundant help than none! We love Brenda's FSF and this didn't disappoint. Coffee and drinks were promptly ordered and served. Food order taken and promptly delivered. She: Delta Scramble with hash and wheat toast with a side of Chicken Apple Sausage. Me: City Ham Steak & "red eye" gravy. Delicious everything! We'll be back.

    (5)
  • Helena T.

    Love this new location! The wait for brunch on Saturday is not as long as the original location, which is good! (We waited 10-15 mins to be seated) I highly recommend Stuffed Johnnycakes and delta scramble. My new favorite brunch spot!

    (4)
  • Josue V.

    Great spot for brunch! Came here this past Sunday after reading about this place online. I've been to the original Brenda's and loved it so I was excited to try this place out. This place is structured the same way as the other Brenda's, even some of the same staff which is great and attentive. The beer selection is slim but good, they also have the special mimosa which this week was peach flavored (they really need bottomless here). I ordered the chicken sandwich, and boy was I surprised! This thing is a monster in size and flavor. Great savory chicken and the coleslaw was great. I just wish they had less chicken and more ingredients/condiments in sandwich itself. Overall enjoyed my experience here and will definitely be back for more. Also huge perk is that the wait time is about half of the original Brenda's which everyone knows can be hell.

    (4)
  • L B B.

    What a great spot for breakfast! Easy parking, easy to get a table and great food (the bananas foster French toast!).

    (4)
  • Chelsey M.

    Went here after waiting 2 hrs in the ED. Was dizzy cuz i didnt eat breakfast before i went in! After much rumors about this place...i was like what the hekk am nearby and HONGRY! The menu is small but the specials sounded intresting...fruity pebbles pancake?! Come on!! LoL! But instead i went with pulled pork sweet potato hash with biscuits and a bowl of gumbo!! The gumbo besides my own is good!! I've had others but this one had the right amount of smoke taste. So it didnt have that burnt taste (thank goodness). The pulledpork hash was suprisingly good esp when you get that Crystal hot sauce involed! Gameover! For drinks i got the bloody mary nothing special about it. But its a MUST when you go, try the watermelon sweet tea!!! Its a game changer!!! Its not too sweet and was really refreshing! Definately going back!

    (4)
  • Charline D.

    Nice place to eat. The food is good and fresh and I like the concept of choosing 3 plates. What I really hate is the big lane for brunch and evenings ! This is good but not enough to wait for one hour ...

    (3)
  • Kristen C.

    Soo tasty! I've only been during the week, so no service complaints. Go for an early breakfast at 8 and you'll be in and out in 30 minutes. They also have most of the same brunch items during the week, too. Watch out, portions are HUGE. Just plan to split everything. The Johnny Cakes are really tasty, and the Sweet Potato Pancakes are amazing. Calas are also really tasty. It's like an extremely fresh, dense, donut hole, and they make some great sauces.

    (5)
  • Marie J.

    Had the Pork and Hash, which was a nice blend of spice. I will probably come back and try some of the non-breakfast things. The samosa was only so-so, but I've got a really high bar for samosas.

    (4)
  • Han Z.

    This review is for their weekend brunch. Came here around 1 pm on a Saturday and had a 45 min wait for a table. Love that they have a system that texts you when your table's ready, so you can walk a few blocks away to get coffee or lounge in the park while you wait. Loved: - The Delta Scramble: great flavor, nicely seasoned, with a generous quantity of shrimp and oysters inside. - Cream biscuit (side): so flaky, I had to hold it with two hands so it wouldn't fall apart on me - The peach preserves in a jar at every table! Slather some on that biscuit and chow down - The potato hash (side): these may not be for everyone as they're soft and there's no crispiness to them, but I found the taste quite unusual (in a good way!) - Corn succotash and white cheddar omelet - The staff! Friendly and attentive Didn't love: - The chicken fried chicken: disappointing, lacked flavor, could be juicier. I liberally doused this with hot sauce to make it better. Food is tasty, ambiance is nice and the portions are huge. I'll be back for dinner!

    (4)
  • Chen N.

    Food is great!! Def enjoyed it. Some of the staff is super nice. Bloody Mary's are great as well. This would of been a 5 star but when we came in...3 of us, we were told we can only sit on a table for 2 people and pull up a chair. These tables are super small and prob couldn't handle 3 plates n drinks. We asked for the 4 top table for 3 and were declined so we sat at the bar. The table that we wanted was not used for over 30 minutes. To me that's just bad service.

    (4)
  • Tim R.

    Solid food, loud ambiance. Breakfast grits and the succotash are probably the underrated winners of this menu. Calas are the obvious and delicious choice. Next time I'm just ordering every side on the menu instead of a single entree. We managed to get a table for 2 at 10am on Sunday, but tables of 3 and 4 waited probably 45 minutes. It's not that good, but it's definitely worth a 15m wait.

    (4)
  • Rosa M.

    Really satisfying brunch! I have been a fan of Brenda's French Soul food for years and was excited to see this open in my neighborhood. I think the mains (meat!) and the sides (threes!) hit that perfect balance between soul satisfyingly rich and bright enough to not weigh you down too much through the rest of the day. Try the rice beignets.

    (4)
  • Brittany B.

    I'm a southerner. I'm from Georgia, and am very particular about my cajun, bbq, and soul food (there's a difference! even with sides). That being said, this place does pretty well getting the job done for being in SF. A cross between cajun and soul food. I got takeout for lunch, the veggie po-boy and cheese grits since I was craving my soul food sides! I had a few bites of the sandwich, but ended up picking out and eating just the fried veggies instead. It was good all together! Just a lot of bread, like a normal po-boy. They nailed it with the cornmeal fried okra/yam/cauliflower combo with the creole aioli sauce. Would definitely order again! Grits. I know grits. There are instant grits, and there are slow cooked grits (which only take 20 minutes to make a big batch). These were instant, microwave-made type grits.. BUMMER. Way too watery. All in all, I'll come back. It was worth the $11. Can't wait to test the collards!

    (4)
  • Pauline L.

    I was sold on getting here for my birthday when I saw Brenda put her sweet potato pancakes on the regular menu, now I never have to wait for my carby hit whenever I need it bad. From the first, I timed this birthday brunch outing with 8 in mind, praying to the fate gods to make things happen, that means extra love to the parking gods, and the table deities to be able to seat our crew Sunday morning. Someone out there must have heard cause everyone arrived early, including my famous flaky friends, and Punctual Me was the late one 0.o?!? So's somehow they just opened the patio dining and my motley gang got group seating right away...hooray for Sandy M. For putting us on the board early!! I'm San Franciscan born, meaning cold weather doesn't bother me like some new city transplants, (yeah I'm looking at you weather whiners), but today was sunny fantabulous...a perfect day for outside dining. Service was brisk and friendly, and I recognized some from original Brenda's. I got my sweet potato pancakes with butter pecan sauce, with a side of grits and a pint of watermelon tea. My pancakes came oozing with buttery syrupy pecan awesome sauce, and so fluffy...it was like I ate sweet yam clouds. My grits didn't come but the server was quick to remedy that, and I got busy on more buttery goodness that would make Paula Deen proud. They were smooth and creamy..not rough and textured like other restaurants I've eaten at. My appetizers of rice ball Calas was met with oohs and ahhs. They were fried to crunchy outside with soft cake like texture inside...and powdered with lots of sugar, with a choice of molasses butter or Apple compote jam. Super yums from my pals with 50% still preferring Brenda's beignets, 50% loving this new option. Watermelon tea was perfect, not too much of each flavor and still sweet...as long as they keep their hands away from adding mint or something else in it...the tea is still my elixir. My other pals grabbed the pork belly with cheddar grits..plenty of empty plates there....and eggs Benedicts with pulled pork (deemed foodie worthy), or with potato hash options, which my persnickety cousin claimed was meh ( this is the same cousin who didn't like San Tung's famous glazed chicken...I'm renouncing her as family...I don't know who this person is)... When we left, the lines were deep and I'm glad we got in when we did. So it's all about timing people...no surprises for those who are used to original Brenda's no ressies policy...so those who whine about it...life isn't all about easy...it's the hard that makes you appreciate the good things more. :) Parking is half metered/half 2 hour on the street and like most of SF nowadays, you gotta be willing to hunt hard ane just be lucky.

    (5)
  • victor n.

    This place is the real deal. Had the spicy fried chicken it was delicious, perfectly fried. Can't wait to go back and try some other items.

    (4)
  • Scott B.

    To start with, the food was amazing. I got the shrimp and grits with a biscuit, which were all first rate, as were the two waitresses. The problem was the host, ANDREW, who was extremely rude. I could't believe a restaurant would have someone that rude giving everyone such a bad first impression. After waiting about 40 mins, we then asked for another table (which was also open, less sunny, righ next to the table where he was going to seat us). He let out a huge sigh, told us to stand in the corner, and acted like it was the biggest thing in the world (there was no line at that point and several open tables). They need to let Andrew go, and I'll try it again. He obviously hates his job.

    (2)
  • CB K.

    Went for lunch a couple of weeks ago. Got the chicken sandwich. It was tasty and the portion was HUGE! I know some people love that but it's too much for me personally. Definitely want to go back and try dinner and brunch there. Glad they're in the neighborhood.

    (4)
  • Teryll H.

    I could not be more excited for Brenda's new spot in my neighborhood. Brenda's pulled pork benedict with creole hollandaise is one of my favorite dishes in the city. My fried got the veggie po' boy, which was a generous serving of cornmeal crusted veggies served atop crusty bread.

    (5)
  • Alison Y.

    Delicious southern food. Man oh man, the ribs were so tender and finger lickin' good! I think that they are actually better than 4505's ribs! Much shorter line as well.

    (5)
  • Chris B.

    I feel like I died and went to Heaven. This is my new favorite restaurant. I'm going to eat everything on the menu, oh yes I am.

    (5)
  • Scott E.

    I love Brenda's French Soul Food, so I was excited to try her second restaurant, which is closer to my home. I have only been for dinner so far, so I can't comment on breakfast/brunch. The meat and three concept (choose one meat and three sides from a list of options) is right up my alley, because I always feel like I want to make a meal entirely out of sides at a Southern restaurant. The meat choices the night I was there were fried chicken, chicken fried steak, pork belly, or ribs. I chose the chicken fried steak (I wasn't excited about the choices of meats that night, but I'm guessing they change, and other people like these choices) and my partner chose the fried chicken. For my sides, I had the red beans and rice, mac and cheese, and cauliflower gratin (best of the three). I was also tempted by the buttermilk biscuit, the collard greens, and the three different preparations of okra. My partner got the cornbread, cheese grits, and coleslaw. We also started off with an appetizer of shrimp hush puppies, which were amazing (if unnecessary, given the amount of food we had coming to us). I also had their watermelon sweet tea, which was fantastic. If you aren't down for the meat and three menu, they do have more traditional plates. For dessert, I was disappointed not to see pecan pie or sweet potato pie on the menu, but there were still good choices. I just was too stuffed to try them. As for atmosphere, it is a little loud and the space is somewhat small. Most of the tables are two tops on the sides of the restaurant, and then there is a large bar where people can sit and eat. It probably is not the best place to go with a large group because of the seating options and how difficult it will be to hear members of your group on the far side of your table. We still had a wonderful time, though.

    (4)
  • David F.

    This place was great. If you are looking for a place for southern food, look no further. I have the pork belly on the cheddar grits and it was awesome and savory.

    (4)
  • brian p.

    In a city where good BBQ is hard to come by, Brenda's new post delivers. We had the meet and three - one chicken and one ribs. Both were great quality and tasty. Obviously this is not Texas BBQ but if you're in the mood for some tasty meat, this is your place. we got there at 6pm on a Saturday and within 30 minutes the line was massive. but with the amount of food you get, you might as well go early because you're full till midnight!

    (4)
  • Sharine d.

    Small clean restaurant with great smelling food. Ordered fried chicken and 3 sides and catfish poor boy. Chicken looked great with a crunchy brown exterior. Actually, chicken was oily and average. BUT, the catfish got high marks. The sides also are noteworthy....great selection clearly separated by vegan, vegetarian and with meat. Ordered one side from each category & and an extra with meat (after all...me and meat are friends). :-)....the collard greens and green beans both get high praise. The cauliflower and potato sides where average. I would rate food 3.5 , but great selection of sides....that should please all in your party. I would go back...

    (4)
  • Lawrence S.

    I tried calling to make a reservation the afternoon before I wanted to eat here, using the number listed both here and on their website. Instead of a human being or answering machine, I got the shrill whistle of a fax machine/modem. Not a good sign for starter! Invest in a second phone number, or the cheap, long-existing equipment that can tell a voice call from a fax call, Ms. Brenda! (When I did get through to a person later in the day, it turns out that they don't take reservations anyway.) My nephew and I sailed right in at 7:00 on a Friday, even though it's a small place, first-come, first-served. Minutes later, lots of people thronged the sidewalk, waiting for their chance. I had a cup of delicious gumbo (with lots of shellfish, yum!) and a salad; my nephew went the meat (baby back ribs) + three (dirty rice, bacon potato hash, and I forgot what else) route. We were both mighty satisfied, then shared the delicious pot de creme. Good barbecue place, if you're either very hungry, or in the mood for some good gumbo.

    (3)
  • Rob C.

    expectations probably too high weekend brunch had the andouille sausage egg po boy and the spicy chicken sandwich massive portions with expected ingredients, nothing groundbreaking. not a made from scratch interesting meal anymore.

    (3)
  • Trinh N.

    I ate here with my husband on a chilly Friday night when comfort food just sounded good. We got here around 7p, parked easily about a block away and waited about 15 minutes for a table. We got seated at the bar (our favorite type of seating) and I ordered the watermelon sweet tea and my husband ordered a beer. The place was busy, but not too noisy. I ordered the fried chicken with corn bread, hoppin john, and mashed potatoes. My husband ordered the BBQ baby back ribs, sweet mashed potatoes, creamed biscuit, and Mac and cheese. Favorites were the fried chicken (crispy skin, perfectly cooked, came with spicy jam), creamed biscuit (so fluffy! Came with jam), mashed potatoes, and Mac and cheese (best Mac and cheese I've ever had). All the plates came out hot and the side dishes stayed hot throughout the meal.

    (5)
  • Edgar C.

    Definitely want to try this place again. We did take out, so I can't give it 5 stars yet because some of the stuff was a little cold, but that's not their fault. On my short list.

    (4)
  • Vincent S.

    Ive been a repeat customer to Brenda's and haven't been let down yet. Killer fried chicken sandwich w/fries (goes great with buttermilk dressing) Awesome fried bologne sandwich also Great spot for some awesome service/food

    (5)
  • Lester W.

    The wait and line at the new Brenda's seems to be a lot shorter than the Polk St. location. I believe they have some sort of patio seating but we opted to sit inside. The shrimp and grits are just as delicious as I remember. I had johnnycakes here for the first time (sort of like a pancake with shrimp, bacon, scallion, jalapeno, cheddar, and corn) which was delicious.....I definitely recommend splitting this as an appetizer. Parking can be a pain but I found non-metered parking a couple of blocks away.

    (4)
  • Fogger A.

    Nice bar counter and charming atmosphere. The food looked pretty good and I'll come back to keep trying. I simply ordered the seafood gumbo and fried chicken. The fried chicken was very good. The gumbo was okay. I expected more fresh seafood flavor. It had a meaty flavor instead. I prefer the gumbo at elite cafe.

    (4)
  • Kareem C.

    Checked out the new location for a (very) late brunch bite on opening day which just so happened to be my birthday. I have been to Brenda's in the TL on a few occasions and always enjoyed it so I was excited to learn that this spot was opening up much closer to home. Service was prompt and friendly. They even went out of their way and accommodated my request for breakfast even though I was more than a few minutes past the buzzer. The sweet potato pancakes were ridiculous. I'll definitely be back for dinner soon. Welcome addition to the Western Addition/NOPA hood.

    (5)
  • Karina L.

    Louisiana style food offerings were tasty and the Bloody Mary was delicious. I ordered Eggs Benedict with Pulled Pork, which were cooked to perfection and came with a generous portion of home fries. Sweet potato pancakes with pecan syrup were reminiscent of Christmas but definitely on the sweeter side of the spectrum.

    (5)
  • Olivia A.

    The ribs were overcooked. More like roasted meat quality, didn't fall off bones. The gumbo was really tasty.

    (2)
  • Johnny B.

    This place has nailed it for breakfast/brunch in SF. I have been twice and it was better the second time which is a great sign in my book. If I had to choose where my last breakfast on this earth would be, Brenda's would definitely come to mind and be a contender for sure. They have a local style embedded in solid southern roots. I have had the pleasure of eating in a few southern states and they surely have also. Their "grits" are "polenta" to us westerners. Do not fear the grit. The shit is hitting with a good gravy like Brenda's and a rich creamy biscuit. Throw in a few poached eggs and a nice breast of chicken fried chicken and POW! your on it. The "starters" they have for breakfast is pure cutting edge in my book. Why not? A little "'appiness" before the main? Johnny cakes are simple yet complex at the same time. You really have to chew them real good to get all the great subtleties to blend. Perfect balance of savory and breakfast type cake qualities. The butter it is served with is a perfect. We had the calas as well and they are unique and as satisfying as any fried treat. The wait seemed long but the manager/host was totally on it and it wasn't. They said a half hour wait and it was more like twenty minutes. Coffee is great. They have wine and beer on tap. Some kind of "bloody Mary" that I saw about twenty made while I was sitting at the counter. Nice servers. Happy looking staff not too rushed but turning the place over like pro's. Excellent attentive service. Coffee always full etc. I loved it today especially because I got to see some dude get to argue with one of the worst entitled asian brats over why she shouldn't bash into his car because she clearly couldn't fit. I looked at the guy after he walked away obviously pinched due to the frustrating encounter with the "entitled little brat" he just had to deal with and said, "bitch!". He looked back at me and replied,"Thank You". Made my day and breakfast better.

    (5)
  • Melanie N.

    Went, again, today but this time for dine-in. The service was great, the watermelon iced tea still on point, yet the ribs were lacking in taste and the mac-n-cheese was a little too watery and not cheesy enough for my liking. The winners today were the collard greens and the biscuit. Next time I'll stick to the chicken.

    (3)
  • Christina L.

    I've been there three times. The food is great, but the service is a bit hit and miss. Once I had good service, the second time was slow-ish but last week it was pitiful. We sat down, the waitress did not come for ten minutes. She finally showed up and we got ice teas. It was another ten minutes to order food. It didn't come out for 20+ minutes. Fortunately, we were there at 1 PM on a Wednesday and really wanted to catch up, so there was no rush. Once we got the food - OMG. The chicken sandwich I got was excellent and my cousin loved her catfish sandwich. Fries were crispy. We got additional sides of okra and corn succotash, and both were yummy. But once we were done, the bill didn't come for another 15-20 minutes. So, food is great, service is hit-n-miss. I'll keep going back. Only on weekdays!

    (4)
  • Johnson S.

    Came here for lunch on a weekday while I was waiting for my car during a smog check. Got here around 10:50 and was able to order off the lunch menu. Got the fried chicken which came with biscuits, fries, and coleslaw. I also ordered a pint of the watermelon iced tea, which was a pretty good size and it filled my glass about 2x. Pretty good iced tea, nothing too spectacular about it, but I did like the hint of watermelon. Onto the fried chicken (2 pieces)! DELICIOUS! Skin was nicely fried, had a nice golden brown crisp all over. Even after about 15-20 minutes, my other piece still had a nice crunch. The inside was moist and flavorful... could definitely eat a bucket of fried chicken if they sold such a thing! I usually don't eat biscuits, but their biscuits were pretty good. Soft and warm on the inside... but what really got me to finish the biscuit was their jam! Was so addicting... I was alternating between my fried chicken and the biscuit with jelly... such a hard decision! I've never been a big fan of coleslaw, so I can't say much about theirs since I didn't try it. Fries were fries... was crunchy and wasn't soggy... so it was a win for me! Overall, lunch was great. I am definitely looking forward to coming back to try their breakfast and dinner menus next time!!!

    (4)
  • Charles Z.

    Wow, their fried chicken...so good. Their watermelon sweet iced tea was also really good. Great place for some southern food. I went their before 6 30 so there wasn't much of a wait (10 min). Right before I got seated, the line was very long, so be sure to get there before 6:30! I'll definitely be back to try their ribs or more fried chicken.

    (4)
  • Bahar S.

    The restaurant was cozy and the staff was friendly and nice. My fried chicken was okay but it really wasn't tasty. I think if you have a soul food restaurant the fried chicken should be amazing and mine wasn't. My husband really liked his ribs and the sides overall were good.

    (3)
  • h. w.

    Enjoyed the Gumbo! Glad they're in the neighborhood.

    (4)
  • Miss P.

    First off, the food here is overall good. For those that have never had soul food, southern food, of coarse this is the best you've ever had. Let me state it again, they DO have good food: -fried okra YES -pork belly GOOD ...there's probably other great dishes. I recently ordered the brisket with okra, baked beans, and corn bread. I honestly had better. I LOVE Brenda's on Polk!!! Truly a fan, but this second location is ok to me. For basic southern dishes, there is better, I'm just throwing that out there. Vibe is ok....not the Divis I know and remember but that's way beyond this review. One small piece of advice, a bigger piece of cornbread won't hurt anyone!

    (3)
  • Marques J. R.

    ***UPDATED REVIEW & SCORE*** As I said I would in my previous review, I returned to Brenda's Meat & Three six months after my first unfortunate experience, and boy was I BLOWN AWAY!!! The food was immaculate, the service on point, and the ambience just right. I assumed correctly initially in thinking that they just needed more time to work out some of those kinks they were having what with a new restaurant opening and all. From the moment I walked into the restaurant until the moment I paid, I enjoyed every aspect of the service and food. Job well done! ============================================= Wait Six Months... ...after that, hopefully they've worked out all of the kinks associated with opening a new restaurant. For the record, allow me to state that I am a huge fan of Brenda's French Soul Food, so you can imagine my dismay when I came to this new establishment. What I can say is that good food is definitely consistent between the two similar, yet different, establishments. However, what was not consistent was the level of service and preparation of the kitchen staff. Truthfully, I cannot pinpoint the culprit, either my server was completely inept, or the kitchen was ill-prepared to handle the simple request of one its patrons. First, I'd like to air a grievance that I just don't understand: How is it that on weekends you offer sandwiches, and you also offer Chicken Fried Chicken, but you don't offer a Fried Chicken Sandwich?! I'm baffled by my server telling me, "The Fried Chicken Sandwich is offered on weekdays, but not on weekends." #Baffled Second, I began my unfortunate lunch experience by requesting to START my meal with an appetizer. Not more than five minutes after my order, along with my dear, sweet mothers order (who was visiting SF for the first time), was placed did I receive my entree order on the table. Wait, it gets better. My mothers order did not make it to the table until a full 10 minutes later. So lets recap, shall we: I've asked for an appetizer (that never came), my entree order is now sitting on the table getting cold, because my mothers food has yet to arrive, and being the gentleman that I am, I choose to wait for her food to arrive as well, so that we might partake together. To add further insult to injury, the French Fries I was given as a side were a dilapidated excuse for a side. It looked as though I was given the fries left at the bottom of the fryer from 2 hours ago! Finally, the bill arrives. I am highly displeased, and just ready to pay and leave them to figure out how to open and effectively run a restaurant. When I glance down at my check I am nearly in shock to see that the ONE pancake my mother ordered to go along with her breakfast was $4.00! Let's put this into perspective, shall we: A stack of (4) pancakes was $8.00, so how in the dickens would one....yes, (1) pancake be half the price of four?! #BaffledAgain I'm disappointed in the service I received today because it is out of character for a restaurant chain that I have come to know as a San Francisco institution. I am also pissed off at the gross price gouging I feel is evident in someones clear inability to do simple math when a patron requests just one pancake. It's a shame, really. This new place is like the ugly step-sister to the beautiful establishment that is Brenda's French Soul Food. Brenda, girl, I'm going to need you to get in this place and fix this mess before your reputation is besmirched all over the streets of San Francisco. N.B. I will come back to this review six months from now, hopefully with a completely glowing review that is just jumping out of my fingertips and on to this keyboard.

    (4)
  • Cody V.

    Sweet lord and baby jesus this may have been the best breakfast I've ever eaten in San Francisco. The eggs benedict with "cajun hollandaise" and fried catfish? Okra and tomatoes on the side to stir into my cheese grits? SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. I was raised in South Georgia, so Southern food is either right or wrong to me, and Brenda's got that shit on LOCK. On LOCK! Sure, maybe the biscuit needs a pinch more salt in the batter, and the grits were a little too rich (heavy cream, Brenda?), but that's nitpicking near perfection. Truly, a fantastic breakfast. Oh, and everybody in my group loved what they had, too, though I can't remember what they had (pancakes? corn succotash?) because I lapsed into a food coma that lasted for an hour afterward. Why only four stars? A few suggestions: (1) Get more seating. Seriously, the layout is ass, so you currently have room for about 10 tables. There were 14,000 people waiting outside by the time we left, time to innovate and pack em in. (2) What's in the bloody mary? Our waiter said vodka, and I said "do you have a liquor license?" and he said "no, but we get around it somehow." No you don't. You served me something else, would be good to know what it was. (3) Can we get a cheaper or bottomless mimosa? If I'm going to eat two weeks of calories in a sitting, I deserve three mimosas, and $9 a pop is too much. Otherwise, I want to kiss Brenda on the damn MOUTH! I told my mom about your food!

    (4)
  • C K.

    Straighforward and delicious food. Highlights were the Gumbo and Pork Belly (BBQed and so soft and tasty). Fried Chicken was very good but both of us agreed it was better at the other location. Favorite sides: oyster stuffing, collard greens (excellent), brussell, cauliflower (or as they say califlower!) with the Mac and Cheese being flavorless and our least favorite. Will be back very soon!

    (5)
  • Julie N.

    Not bad! Got there at 9 am on a Sunday and was seated right away. Calasi Donuts - 2 stars Too dense and dry Gumbo - 3 stars Lots of yummy veggies and meat. Would be so much better if it were spicy with a thicker roux. Eggs Benedict w catfish - 3 stars Catfish was bland and not crispy. Biscuit not very buttery and soft. French toast - 3 stars Soggy and ridiculously large portion. You need 1-2 slices but there are 6. Stuffed Johnnycakes - 5 stars One of the best brunch foods I've had at any restaurants. Worth coming back for. Crispy, savory, rich. It's the only reason I gave this place 4 stars instead of 3 stars.

    (4)
  • Alfonso L.

    Eggs uninspired, bacon flabby not crispy, hash not hash but rather undercooked and under seasoned spuds. But coffee decent and the cream biscuit tall and majestic was the unquestioned star of the show. Homemade jam isn't INNA as it needed more sweet but go here for the impressive biscuits.

    (3)
  • Alison H.

    We really enjoyed our brunch. The food is pretty heavy though. We had the calas, which are like beignets but made w rice. We also had the sweet potato pork hash dish and another ham/egg/potato dish and they were both flavorful and well prepared. We couldn't finish our dishes. Staff was attentive and look forward to visiting again!

    (4)
  • S.K. Y.

    15.01.04 First Visit Food -------------------- 4 - 4 1/2 stars Service ----------------- 4 Stars Noise ------------------- Very high Pro: Shrimp & Grits Rich Laced with cheese Sauce help cut some of the richness Very fresh and well seasoned shrimp The tomato chunks were nicely seasoned Johnny Cakes Delicious seafood fillings Pork Patties House made Dense in a good way Fat content low Nice seasoning Creole Chicken Patty Single piece of white meat Not dry ... pretty good for white meat Nicely spiced ... not overwhelming Con: Ultra long lines Problem for neigbors problem for pedestirans problematic traffic ... drop off Patio was not open may have to do with the cold weather Tight bathroom

    (4)
  • Kristin R.

    Pretty solid, but that was to be expected from Brenda's. Visit one (yesterday): We both got bloody mary's and they were quite tasty, not overly spicy, buy if you wanted to kick it up, there was crystal on the table. I love pickled okra, which is their garnish. I can never get enough okra. I had the coffee. It was a nice dark roast -quite tasty. Now for the food: we shared a few dishes. The sweet potato hash had a good portion of pulled pork in it, it could have used some salt and pepper during the preparation, but of course, it's on the table, so you can salt or pepper it to your preference. I'd just rather not add sat and pepper to a shared plate. The flavor was good, and the sweet potatoes were not overly soft, which tends to happen with most sweet potato hash. Our other shared dish was the french toast with pecans. Next time I'll get the pecan glaze on the side because I didn't need as much as was put on the plate. Both the french toast, and the glaze were very flavorful. The french toast was nice - not dry on the inside (rushed), and not gooey on the inside, (also a sign of being rushed). Yum! I'll have it again. We had a great server. I did not get her name, but she was friendly, and knew when to stop by. She did not hover, which was appreciated. She made up feel welcome, which was great, and made me want to come back...which I did. Visit two (today, about a half hour ago): I arrived today, shortly after they opened. I settled into a seat at the counter and ordered shrimp and grits topped with a poached egg, and a cup of coffee. Again, great coffee, and it never got below half full. The attentive man behind the counter made sure I was fully caffeinated. The grits arrived super hot and looked beautiful. The poached egg arrived poached hard, of which I'm not a fan. I'm pretty sure it was probably soft when it left the line, but because the grits were so hot, the egg firmed up when placed on the super hot grits. I mentioned it to the server. He was apologetic, and kind, and quickly brought me another egg, which was perfect. Thanks man! Much appreciated! The tomato bacon jam/gravy was amazing, and made the dish. Because I love Crystal, I added a few dashes -yum! Welcome to the neighborhood Brenda's Meat and Three. I'll be back - maybe tomorrow :)

    (4)
  • Drew W.

    Was happy to see a Brenda's take the place of Blue Jay (which I never ate at, after many attempts to like the place). The mains menu is pretty limited (think it was 5 items) but this is more than made up for with the near endless selection of sides. My other first impression was that the menu was rather pricey. I tried the gumbo as my main. It was very good, albeit the portion size was rather small for the price. Sides were oyster pudding (think that's what it as called...it was pretty good), cauliflower au gratin (excellent), collard greens (good, but a bit salty) and brussel sprouts (which were overcooked and pretty awful). Service was adequate, albeit rather unfriendly. Beer selection is a plus. I will give this place another try with one of the mains, but unless it is mind-blowing, I don't see this as a regular spot like me as there are heaps of nearby choices that are as good/better at a far more reasonable price.

    (3)
  • Elle E.

    Came here for first time for my & hubby's anniversary. Never have I been to any restaurant where they got EVERYTHING right! From the food to the customer service to the location (we took muni).....everything was just perfect! I tried the cream biscuits w/gravy, scrambled eggs, and chicken-apple sausage. Hubby had the breakfast po-boy with ham jam and other stuff. We shared an order of the rice doughnuts, had drinks, and watermelon sweet tea, and all was well. The rice doughnuts were pleasantly and lightly sweetened with just enough rice inside to provide a contrast in texture. I didn't care too much for the compote and maple butter (?), but they are still good enough for me to order again. I don't like the taste of alcohol and our waitress was kind enough to craft a drink to my liking! AMAZING!!! The watermelon sweet tea arrived with the cutest jar containing the remainder of the tea (it's the smallest details that make a world of difference, people). My cream biscuits were perfectly moist yet not soggy from the gravy. The eggs were excellent in taste and texture. I should've bought an order of the sausage/links to bring home. Hubby gave me his pickled watermelon rinds and that was the kicker. One bite of the rinds with the rest of my dish sent the entire meal to another level. Our waitress took pictures for us, and even gave me watermelon rinds to take home. Customer service definitely gets an A++++. I'm so upset that we don't live closer, because I know it'll be a long time before I eat anything comparable to this. Great food. Great company. Great weather (we ate on the patio). Need I say more???

    (5)
  • J M.

    It's all about the biscuits. Light, flaky, delicious. We also got the pancakes which were equally fantastic. Service was friendly and attentive.

    (4)
  • Jocelyn L.

    When I heard there was a new restaurant with vegan options on Divis, I knew I had to check it out. My friend raved about Brenda's on Polk and she had gone for brunch during opening weekend. So I knew it had to be good! My friend got a glass of wine and the fried chicken with a side of biscuits and homemade jam. I got the hard cider and vegan combo plate, which is a choice of 4 sides for $15. I got the sweet potato fries, vegan collard greens, fried okra and roasted Brussels sprouts. Everything tasted good and the servers were friendly! Granted it's not vegan's soul food paradise like Souley Vegan in Oakland, but not only is it a short walk from my house, but it's a nice place to have a meal with omnivores, vegetarians and vegans and that works for me :)

    (5)
  • James H.

    A great place to dine for a southern culinary tradition. I tasted several dishes including the Cream Biscuit and Country Gravy, Shrimp and Grits, and Low Country Gumbo. They all were great.

    (5)
  • Jason B.

    Me and three. Totally didn't follow rules. Name is in homage to a Southern tradition. Decided to do my own take on things and do three different meals entirely: Breakfast: Succotash omelette with corn, zucchini, tomato, lima beans and sweet peppers plus a biscuit and potatoes on the side. Sensational in everything but price. So worth it $12. (price included egg whites for a super reasonable extra $1) Dinner: Single fried chicken breast was full of flavor but not oil. Same came be said for the Southern stew of okra and tomato and seafood gumbo. $15 for the three was again a deal. Dessert: Pear and peach cobbler was heavy on the fruit and light on the crust. Fruit was so sweet and enjoyable it proved to be the perfect balance and perfectly priced at $6. Brenda's earns a solid four stars on these things alone. That you get a friendly staff, vibrant atmosphere and patio seating with the good food at a good price earns them a fifth. Three cheers.

    (5)
  • Juliana P.

    Came here for brunch today for the first time. Not a very big restaurant, menu wasn't that overwhelming either. We had the spicy chicken sandwich and the fried doughnuts. Both were just OK. Bread was not good and the spiciness drained the taste a bit. The doughnuts weren't that special and I didn't really like the jam/spread that came with it. I would not order those items again. I'd like to come back and try some of the other dishes though. Really liked the watermelon iced tea, not super sweet but still sweet. Service was good, wait was not.

    (3)
  • Matt K.

    Big fan of Brenda's for both dinner and brunch. The fried chicken is one of the better I've had and of course (as with all the "and three" joints out there) the sides are on point. Good beer selection and a very cool vibe. The interior is very well designed, the counter stools are a nice place to spend a Saturday morning sipping on some Bloody Mary's and eating Fried Chicken Eggs Benedict.

    (5)
  • Tara A.

    I love me some soul food!!! So when I heard Brenda had another restaurant in NoPa (my parents and I love Brenda's French Soul Food in the TL), I suggested it to my bf after a shopping trip in downtown and we were off to dinner! You might be wondering what a "meat & three" is... I know I was. Basically, it means you choose a meat (they have fish too) and 3 sides of your choice! I love having options so looking at all the different sides they had--mac and cheese, fried okra, collard greens, cauliflower gratin, etc, was all eye candy to me!! We ordered to share our food, and we went with a cup of gumbo ($6) and the pan seared trout with a side of mac and cheese, sweet potato fries, and mashed potatoes ($19.50). The trout seemed pricey but we rationalized that by saying we get three sides with it. No harm, no foul! The gumbo came first and it was delicious!!! For an appetizer, the cup was a perfect portion to share. I'm glad we didn't get the bowl ($11) or else we would've been too full for our entree! The gumbo had so much smokey flavor, and I loved the andouille sausage and the shrimp in it. I'm glad it wasn't too spicy either. The entree came out shortly after and the plate was pretty big; we got the whole piece of trout! The trout was cooked nicely and still had the skin on the underside. My favorite side was the sweet potato fries that came out crunchy, hot, and salted. The mac and cheese was good too and super creamy, but I wish there was more cheese in the sauce. It tasted like a cream sauce to me instead of a cheese sauce. The mashed potatoes were good too, really soft and they tasted like real potatoes! I would probably a different side next time though. Our total bill was less than $30 which is a pretty good value since we were satisfied after! You should definitely consider sharing a meat and three because the portion is huge. I still want to try that fried chicken or those bbq ribs... Mmmm. One of the people at the table next to me got the ribs and I kept awkwardly glancing over there... Hahaha! Hopefully I wasn't drooling. Oh by the way, parking is pretty terrible around here... I think we circled for a little less than 10 minutes until we swooped a spot in front. The things you gotta do for good food!!!

    (4)
  • Sam A.

    We had a great brunch here. The Cajun flavors were a nice change from your traditional breakfast. We arrived at 9am on a Saturday and there was no wait. I've heard the line can get pretty crazy starting around 10. The stuffed Johnny cakes and biscuits and gravy were very good! Great coffee too.

    (4)
  • Emily C.

    Brenda's sister restaurant in NOPA ! Wait is definitely much shorter here - I think the menu is a little different too. Still AMAZERING for soul food! Lives up to the name of 'Brenda's' =)))) JOHNNYCAKES: sort of like a thick and small cornbread-pancake with chives & bacon. YUMMM SHRIMP & GRITS: Yummeh - but the texture palette gets quite boring after you've had a few spoonfuls.. I recommend ordering a biscuit on the side for texture contrast and to offset the savoriness. OYSTER PO BOY: Simple and executed just right. WATERMELON TEA: $6 - refreshing, not too sweet, and a quart was definitely enough for 2! If you're craving Brenda's, be sure to remember that there's this location as well!

    (4)
  • Cherylynn N.

    I've begrudgingly become accustomed to paying high prices for mini meals in San Francisco. You know, the ones where you spend over $150 for two and use tweezers as utensils. At least your thighs won't give you the middle finger. I haven't been to Brenda's in the TL for y-e-a-r-s so I forgot how large the portions were for the prices. Her sister restaurant, Brenda's Meat & Three is no different (so NOT San Francisco) and we should have taken a clue from the table next to ordered ONE Fried Chicken Sandwich to share. We're over here like heffers, "We'll have the Gumbo, Eggs Sausage & Home Fries, Bologna Sandwich, AND Pot Pie"...for two people. Well, technically three because we brought Tater Tot. A dog counts as another person doesn't it? Brenda's Meat & Three's menu has similar items to the original Brenda's like the fried chicken, gumbo, and shrimp & grits but it's not as extensive and they don't have her infamous beignets. At dinner, you choose one meat and three sides, hence the name. Everything is under $13.75 (breakfast & lunch) which is VERY reasonable and you will leave with a doggy bag or two. We came for lunch on a Monday at around 12:30 pm and it was pretty dead. Since we had Tater Tot with us, we sat in their outdoor patio (5 tables). We shared the following: *Low Country Gumbo w/ crab, shrimp, andouille sausage, okra, scallion, rice (cup - $6): bit.ly/1MXkkfU *Scrambled Eggs, Home Fries, Pork Sausage, Wheat Toast ($11.25): bit.ly/1KndWfV *Bologna Sandwich w/ pimento cheese, tomatoes, pickles, secret sauce & coleslaw ($8.75): bit.ly/1VdQoNG *Creole Shrimp Pot Pie w/ cheddar biscuit crust, mixed greens ($12.75): bit.ly/1JlHVAK A must order, the Gumbo had great depth of flavor with each spoonful having freshly tender crab, shrimp, or sausage. It was hearty, comforting, and had a good kick. I had a small bite of Mr. NSS' scrambled eggs and they were fluffy which is always a good indicator of a solid breakfast joint. I usually opt for Brenda's grits but I wanted to try something I've never seen on any other menu in SF: Bologna Sandwich and I'm glad I did. A thick cut of bologna was pan fried on both sides, smeared with pimento cheese, secret sauce (thousand island base?), and placed between a fluffy, toasted brioche bun with tomatoes and pickles. It was really rich and satisfying but too heavy to even eat half of. It reminded me of a southern rendition of a spam sandwich without all the salt. They also give you several pickled watermelon rinds on the side which were addictingly good. The side of coleslaw was fresh, creamy, and crunchy (you can opt for fries instead). Since we drove across the city for Brenda's Meat & Three, we figure to also try one of the specials of the day: Creole Shrimp Pot Pie. It was disappointing. While the biscuit "crust" was decadently delicious--crunchy and fluffy with buttery layers, made even better with a melty cheesy crust, the filling was unbearably salty. So salty, it made us pucker. Service was cordial but not very friendly. Our waitress was cool but other reviews mention one particular staff as being "rude". We did encounter her and I can see how people think she's rude. RBF. Food service was pretty slow for being dead (barely 25% full). We got the gumbo within 10 minutes but other dishes took another 20+ minutes. Parking in the area usually deters us from coming to this area but it was super easy during the weekdays. So if you've been wanting to try this place, come on a weekday. There's free one hour parking on the block. Not a big fan of soul food but I will try anything and everything once. Brenda's Meat & Three was good to try once but if you're going to calorificly indulge and make your thighs hate you, the original in TL is better.

    (4)
  • Christine R.

    You got me sayin' my, my, my, my, my, my, my, you sure look good tonight (insert Johnny Gill song). I know it may not go with the theme of foods, but that's how I feel about Brenda's Meat & Three. Even on a Monday night, this location was packed, and you write your name on a clipboard instead of a chalkboard. I was ready to wait in the cold, peaking my head through the window periodically to show the patrons how hangry I was, so they'd leave. No such luck, totally ignored my hangry butt, and continued with their meals and conversations lol. When we finally got a table, I wanted to order everything. I had the fried chicken with three sides, cornmeal-fried catfish, and homemade pie. Hubby ordered the shrimp and grits. I was ecstatic to get my soul food fix in NOPA, much different menu than the TL location. I'd still like to recommend straight up sweet tea, not watermelon flavored. No beignets at this location, and may I also suggest pecan pie served warm in the near future =)

    (4)
  • Kathryn T.

    Writing this review hurts a little bit. The copy is never as good as the original. Never did I ever think I would be giving Brenda's four stars. Meat & Three is good but is missing the magic of the original spot. The menu is essentially the same as the original for brunch (the add-ins come around dinner time). We ended up ordering the catfish benedict with hash and grits, sweet tea, and a pomegranate mimosa. Pomegranate mimosa was actually disappointing. Yeah, I know I can make one myself but at least give me the illusion that I can't. The benedict was delicious. The catfish was cooked well. They didn't have cheesy grits on the menu (or the beignets. My heart was broken.) so we got the plain. Solid choice. The hash was a little undercooked and cold but that was nothing hot sauce and ketchup couldn't fix. The service was also a little whack. Our waitress seemed a little too annoyed on an early Sunday morning. (It was Game 5 of the NBA finals. We were wearing our Warriors gear. Maybe she was a Cavs fan?) Would I wait an original Brenda's amount of time for Meat & Three? No. Nothing over maybe 45 minutes. Would I come back? Probably.

    (4)
  • Elaine N.

    Post hike breakfast at Brenda's Meat & Three was the best decision ever!!! We ordered: - Calas! = lost rice doughnut that was fried to a light, puffy texture with molasses butter and fruit compote. Great for sharing. - Stuffed Johnnycakes = savory, slightly crispy on the outside and softer on the inside stuffed with many goodies such as shrimp, bacon, jalapeno, and cheddar. MY FAVORITE! - Special *pork belly* = with grits, poached egg, and spicy caramelized onion. I can't say know to grits. I am a fan of mushy food. - Creole-fried chicken cutlet = simply fried piece of chicken breast that goes well with hot sauce and calas! Thank you for serving amazingly tasty food and friendly helpful staff to fix our broken table. Excellent addition for the Brenda's empire, you guys rock! I hope you give this southern culinary tradition place a try. Cheers!

    (4)
  • Amanda L.

    Prepare your body for an experience including utter happiness, clogged arteries, and a food coma. Came here for brunch (the wait can be long on weekends, so going earlier is probably a good idea) and ordered the French toast, Benedict, and chicken with biscuits and gravy. And I almost forgot the best thing of all - the johnnycakes! Honestly. Amazing. Super dense, cheesy, flavorful, the whole shebang. Everything was pretty delicious, but the French toast was an almost overwhelming portion. I probably wouldn't order those again just because it wasn't a super flavorful dish, just a lot of sugar and a lot of volume. Overall a great brunch - just don't plan to do anything active for at least a few hours afterwards

    (4)
  • Alan B.

    Man that wait though!!!! But as frustrating as it is waiting to get some Brenda's when you're hungover, hungry and walked in the rain for about 10 blocks from your car the moment you sit down and see your food in front you changes your whole outlook on your day. You go from Mr. Grumpy to Mr. Perfect real quick!!! The lady and I recently checked out Brenda's on a damp chilly morning and ordered the breakfast po boy, stuffed johnnycakes and a side chicken fried chicken. The sandwich was good but not good enough for me to ever order again and the chicken fried chicken was a little drier than I liked. But the johnnycakes and three pepper butter was probably the best thing I had all weekend long! Shrimp, bacon, scallions, jalapenos, cheddar and corn? FUCK YAH!!!!

    (4)
  • Mark B.

    This third restaurant in the amazing Brenda's empire is just as tasty as the others but with a twist. The inside reminds me of an old dime soda fountain with a big horseshoe shaped counter to sit at and tables scattered on each side. The menu is still very southern with French toast etc for breakfast. Sandwiches, chicken and salads for lunch. Dinner is really where the twist comes in and where it takes its name. You choose your entre then 3 items from the list of sides. Its worth the trip here even if the soda comes from a can not a fountain.

    (4)
  • Joy K.

    If you've already been to Brenda's French Soul FOod then I feel like you don't haaave to come here. Food is good, there will always be a wait on a weekend breakfast/brunch line but I mean I feel like that's most brunch/breakfast places anyway. Kind of wish I got the pork belly special...got the Shrimp & Oyster Po'Boy sandwich which is good and all but I mean I guess at the end of the day it's just a sandwich? Also, the Spicy CHicken Sandwich isn't spicy. Just a FYI if you were expecting something actually spicy. Kind of reminded me of a Carl's Jr Chicken Sandwich. I feel like I should have ordered breakfast because everyone eating biscuits/grits/pancakes/eggs looked BOMBBBBBBBBBB

    (3)
  • Jennifer O.

    Brenda's Meat and Three is the restaurant this stretch of Divis really needed: Great Southern-style soul food with a lazy vibe and excellent food. The staff were extraordinarily sweet to my grumpy Gus of a 7 year- old who decided to make them work for it, refusing to order anything until I'd nearly finished brunch. (He sat there dourly, nursing his oj with his hoodie on, looking like the boy Unibomber. Nice. It was a proud mamma moment- not). I had the City Ham steak with "Red Eye" gravy which was a peppery jelly glaze the deliciously tender and flavorful ham swam in nestled by grits and 2 eggs (scrambled), topped off by Brenda's famous cream biscuit. When little one finally deigned to order, he tucked into a stack of flapjacks, adding on a 50/50 mix of butterscotch and chocolate chips. I had a bite- they were hearty and delicious. I'm not sure what flour they used but it was roughly milled and delicious. Sadly, this sister restaurant to Brenda's French Soul Food on Polk didn't have the chicory-laden coffee I so loved and expected. They also don't have their beignets which Brenda's is famous for. Why? Reconsider this menu omission, a lot of diners have mentioned their absence. Some dishes like the cream biscuits with country gravy and eggs (any style) looked amazing and I noticed some menu crossover items like the classic Po' Boy and shrimp & grits. The interior was a nicely updated interior from former incarnation Blue Jay Cafe (which deserved to close). They kept half of the horseshoe counter (complete with purse hooks, nice) which I think is even cozier than the tables and gave it a darker, cooler vibe with lazily spinning ceiling fans. One waiter looked a little more flustered than he should've but his colleagues including the GM came close to seamlessly assisting us and other diners. Still, I would've liked not to have reminded them for more coffee and water. Half star demerit. They also didn't point out the specials on the chalkboard menu which, given its high height, I totally missed. They were featuring pork belly and a few other tasty specials I would've liked to consider. Wait times were less than Brenda's though a line formed, cleared and reformed two or three times over again in the 75 minutes we were there with the tables turning a little faster yet no feeling of being rushed by the staff, very nice. The GM was so certain and welcoming, I'm giving him his own rating. The only other improvement (beignets, chicory coffee) I'd request for an otherwise excellent experience is they must give the heave ho to the red pebbly plastic water cups. They must go; they're degueulasses. Food: 4.75 stars Atmosphere: 4.75 stars Service: 4.5 stars ("A" for collective effort though) Red plastic cups: negative 0 GM: 5 stars, baby

    (4)
  • Andréia S.

    Can I put into words how happy I was with this place? It was amazing! Seriously. Like, food-coma amazing. We were a party of 4 and a baby, we had to wait for a little while, and we were seated. While we waited we studied the menu, and did it look delicious! If you don't know already, this is a soul food restaurant. Basically yummy southern food (forgive the redundancy). You can order individual portions of anything OR you can do their awesome meat and three. Beware! Portions are HUGE! If you are in awe with the menu and can't choose, here it's what you can't miss: Mac'n'Cheese (the order that comes with the meat & three is smaller than the individual one), creamy biscuit (super yummy), and the watermelon sweet tea (trust me!). No matter what you order, you are gonna be happy. But I advise you to come with friends so you can order ALL the things and share them. :)

    (5)
  • Stephanie P.

    Great service and atmosphere; yucky food. Highlights: --Great idea of a vegetarian po'boy but it completely falls flat in flavor. It tastes more like pickles and lettuce and sauce more than anything else, even though some non-greasy fried goodness lies inside (okra). The fried yams were very thick-cut and too yammy. --Great idea for a vegetarian succotash omelet, but it was the worst succotash inside that I have ever had. Very overcooked and runny/wet and not fresh-tasting at all. And what's with the red peppers? Super-disappointing. --Overly huge portions. Please make smaller and charge less. --Terrible home fries. Very soft, no crisp, just bathed in some sort of red sauce. My test of a good home fry is crispy on the outside. --Excellent biscuit, the only excellent thing we had--but just a biscuit, folks. --Watermelon sweet tea nothing special. --EXCELLENT service and great redo of the beloved Blue Jay space.

    (2)
  • Maya S.

    Food was delicious, as expected. I enjoyed everything, from my mimosa to the stuffed johnnycakes to my oyster po boy, the flavors were amazing. Portions were huge so you may want to consider splitting a main dish and ordering a starter/side/dessert to try other things. Aside from the menu, be sure to check out the chalkboard for specials. Also, I actually really enjoy coleslaw, especially paired with heavy foods, and it has been a long search for in finding one that is simple and well done. Brenda has ended my search. The space was comfortable. There's counter and table seating in the main front part of the restaurant which is very open. There's also seating in the back on the patio. You can bring your dog but like the one I saw, he was distracted by all of the food coming out and was also sniffing out the crumbs on the floor. I can't blame him. Service was friendly and relaxed. The pace of the meal was also relaxed and perfect during the Friday afternoon when I visited.

    (5)
  • Diana L.

    The food is good (particularly the shrimp and grits), but the service is pretty bad. No one working here smiled or was courteous; in fact, they seemed rather annoyed to be serving food. The hostess actually accused my sister of lying to her. Her exact words were: "You told me your party was complete". Her husband and toddler were a few doors down walking around (because toddler), as my sister had explained previously. I tried to laugh it off, thinking the service would get better. It didn't. I should be giving this place 2 stars but the food did kind of make up for the crappy service. For the record, my nephew, as always, sat quietly eating and watching videos the entire time we were there. Didn't make a mess, didn't make a peep, ate all his food. My sister says she gets consistently poor service here, despite her kid being well behaved. I have no idea. It was bad.

    (3)
  • Stephanie M.

    Good option. This place is really good - we had a great brunch. Line wasn't too bad on a Sunday morning around noon. Maybe about 25 minutes. Back patio was nice, but no frills - as you would expect / want. The service was good - our waitress was cute and friendly, but not over the top. The food was very intense - I could barely eat half of it because it was so rich, but that was exactly what I ordered - biscuit Benedict with fried chicken - highly recommend if you're feeling aggressive! Price point was as expected.

    (4)
  • Ross H.

    Our search for brunch continues. After a walk up Divis and passing by the usual long-wait spots we decided to trek an extra block or two up to the new Brenda's. I have been waiting for a while for a good restaurant to fill in the great space once filled by the mediocre Blue Jay Café -- now is that time. We put our names down, and waited maybe 20 minutes to get called in. The host was super nice, and the crowd was really mellow unlike nearby now elitist NOPA. Food was very good, definitely want to come back and try other things. My fried chicken Benedict had moist chicken, fresh flaky biscuits and a creole sauce that was super rich (honestly a bit too overpowering) and flavorful. Both of us got grits which were also very rich and tasty. Service was good in the beginning but not the end. Host was great, we got our orders taken and food delivered quickly, but after that it took 15 minutes to get someone's attention to get and pay our check-- also no one refilled our drinks which was a bummer. Seems that our server dropped off our food and had nothing to do with us after that. Five star potential and a four star experience. Will come back and try the dinner menu for sure.

    (4)
  • Thai S.

    The watermelon sweet tea was very good. A must try. The beer I got on tap was pretty good, forgot the name but their beers change often. I got the smothered porkchops it was okay. My date got the fried chicken, which was just okay, nothing that really made it popped, which what I was really hoping for from a place like this. The sides were okay. The gumbo that I got was average. salty What I did really like though was the table setting and environment. Overall I think its worth a check out. The staff was friendly and attentive.

    (4)
  • Erik H.

    Based upon an opinion from a waiter at Brenda's French Soul Food, I decided to try out her sister restaurant, Brenda's Meat and 3, for Mother's Day. Open since the Fall it is already gaining a great reputation. Now I'm a sucker for Brenda's beignets, but the waiter told me that I for sure was gonna be okay without the beignets just this time. They opened at 8 and as we were running late, arrived at 8:30 and just missed the first seating, but were 3rd on the waitlist. After a 10 min wait we were seated at a table. We ordered coffee and juice. For starters we got the Calas which have 5 in a basket and are like a cross between a dense beignet and a fried muffin. She calls it a lost-rice doughnut. They come with a molasses butter as well as a fruit compote spread. We also got the Johnny Cakes which she stuffs with shrimp,bacon, scallion, jalapeno, cheddar and corn. It is serves with a three pepper jalapeno butter. 2 come to a plate and just alone, this gives the restaurant a 5. They were right. I had already forgotten the beignets with my sweet and savory starters. If you enjoy the crawfish beignet at the first restaurant, then you'll enjoy the Johnny Cakes. For the main course we got the Blue plate special breakfast Po-Boy and the blueberry Crumble pancakes (2 to a serving). In typical Brenda's style, both were extremely large helpings and fortunately my mom and I split the pancakes. My son however wolfed down the Po-boy which had a monstrous helping of eggs any style with andouille sausage, bacon, hash browns all served on a roll. In typical teenage style he gave me the thumbs up, burp and "it was good" feedback when I asked if he liked it. I definitely have to come back in the eve for the hush puppies as well as the cheese grits and fried chicken! There is a patio in the back which has at least 6 tables. It was a little chilly and I saw some people who were smart and wore jackets eating outside. As we left the line was long. At least 50 people. I saw lots of young families with one kid and the kids seemed to enjoy the place. The place is small so large groups should get there early or pick off hours. Other note is they serve regular coffee and not the same chicory coffee as Brenda's Soul Food. I was fine with that!

    (5)
  • Jules L.

    5 stars on their watermelon sweet tea, fried chicken, and their biscuits. I am not a biscuit person ever and Brenda's just changed my whole outlook on them. came on a weekday at 4pm. they have a breakfast menu, lunch menu, dinner menu and a weekend brunch menu. so depending on what time of the day you come, you can order off of these menus. I can't wait to go back and get more of that spicy fried chicken. so moist and juicy meat with crispy skin. heavenly!

    (5)
  • Mark O.

    Everyone loves Brenda's French Soul Food in the tenderloin. It's a brunch favorite that people will stand in line for hours on the weekends. That's why it was exciting to hear that Brenda opened up a new location with a slightly different menu. Unfortunately this was all the way over on Divisadero, which is rather inconvenient. Over the span of two visits, I tried the following items. Some were great, others not so much. Calas! - 5/5 - Rice doughnuts dipped in sugar with a molasses dipping sauce. It is just as great as it sounds and I would go back here for this item alone. Much like Brenda's famed biscuits, this is yet another carb overload that just melts in your mouth. Definitely order this. Possibly make it a double. Stuffed Johnnycakes - 3/5 - I feel the same way about this item as I do about the crawfish beignets at Brenda's. The flavors just clash too much and while interesting, it just doesn't do it for me. The three pepper butter on the other hand, was delicious, especially when spread on the biscuit that comes with your entrée. Grillades and Grits - 3/5 - I think this is copied over from Brenda's Sunday Supper menu. It was decent, although the amount of beef seemed a bit small. It's simply grits + eggs + beef so while you can't go wrong with it, it's not going to knock your socks off. Wouldn't get this again. Pulled pork and sweet potato hash - 2/5 - I was really looking forward to this but I was ultimately disappointed. There were no discernable pieces of pulled pork to be found anywhere in the pile of hash that this came with nor was there any on the side. Either they were chopped up into the tiniest possible pieces or the ratio of pork to hash was inexcusably low. Pass on this. Fried Bologna Sandwich - 4/5 - This gets a lot of mentions in the reviews and it is rather unique in that bologna sandwiches are not normally something you'd associate with a quality restaurant. The patty is a massive chunk of bologna which was slightly fried and definitely seemed to be of decent quality with a good taste on its own. On top of that they smother a thick layer of pimento cheese and secret sauce as well as some veggies on a toasted bun. I was surprised that I enjoyed this sandwich as much as I did. I'd order this again. Overall, Brenda's expansion delivered a few quality additions to the normal stellar food at the original place. The biscuits were delicious as usual and there were the normal favorites on the menu like pork belly grits and pulled pork benedict. As always, for soul food in the city as well as the addition of Calas to the menu, Brenda's is "as good as it gets."

    (5)
  • Justin S.

    I popped in here to meet a friend for a very late lunch on Sunday, but still in time to catch the lunch menu. The Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich was perfection. I kinda wish I had gotten the fries instead of the salad with the mustard creole dressing. We sat at the bar so I could keep an eye on my bike parked outside (I left the lock at home), but when I went to the bathroom, I noticed the cutest little back patio. That's where we should have sat. I'll definitely be back, for dinner, so I can get my meat plus three sides.

    (4)
  • Sean H.

    Life is full of decisions. And Brenda's turned out to be the best decision I've made in awhile. No sugarcoating it, this was quite possibly the best rack of ribs I've ever had in my life. Brenda's Meat & Three knows exactly what they're doing here. And their secret formula to success is all in the name. It all comes from an old southern tradition. Pick one meat, and pick three sides. Sounds easy right? Not when you've got a selection like Brenda's. Never before has choosing between fried chicken and BBQ baby back ribs and fried fish seemed like such a huge life changing decision before. And that's just the meats. Their sides are all classic favs. Mashed potatoes, Mac and cheese, good ole grits. Usually, the decisions you make could end up bad, but here at Brenda's there is no wrong choice. I ended up getting the BBQ Baby Back Ribs, with my sides being Fried Okra, Mac and Cheese, and a Biscuit. Best decision of my life right there with the ribs. They were so soft. They literally fell off the bone. As in, I didn't have to work at all to eat my ribs. No messy hands, nothing. Just a simple pull of my fork, and the meat came apart like cotton candy. So beyond delicious tasting as well. Perfect amount of BBQ sauce. Like, their ribs were so good that I've seriously been dreaming about them the past few night. Yes, I have a problem I know. Sides are not to be taken lightly either. Mac and cheese was so amazingly cheesy. Real cheese too! The biscuit was interesting! Tasted like a butter cookie to me, and had pretty much that cookie texture too. My personal favorite was the fried okra, because it's so hard to find a place that serves okra in the first place, much less tasty okra. So I've come to the decision that Brenda's is now one of my favorite restaurants. I'm literally counting the days til I get to come back here. Cannot wait!

    (5)
  • Samantha C.

    Holy cow, this place is delicious. I haven't been able to try the original Brenda's French Soul Food, but now I'm even more eager to try it - they have the same owners. Came here on a Friday night with some girlfriends, idk what was going on but there was absolutely no wait! Got the meat and three offering, with the stuffed pork chop, brussel sprouts, collard greens and mac and cheese. Brussel sprouts and collard greens were so so, but the mac and cheese was scrumptious. The highlight of my meal was the port chop. It was so juicy, and stuffed with bacon, spinach and swiss cheese. Sometimes port chop can be really dry, but this was not the case here. Also, the gravy was so so tasty, I'm salivating at the thought of it. Didn't think things could get any better but then my friends and I decided to split dessert. Banana chocolate chip bourbon bread pudding (HOLY SHIT, soo good) and strawberry apple cobbler a la mode (delish). Overall, I definitely recommend people to try this place, especially if they don't want to wait for the original Brendas, though I guess people mainly go there for brunch. This place is definitely a heavy lunch or dinner place. I even had leftovers for next day's dinner! Not a bad price either, paid $31 for the meat and three dish, a glass of wine, and shared desserts.

    (5)
  • Ronald L.

    I've been to Brenda's French Soul Food a few times for their beignets and soul food so I'm a little excited about their newest addition to the family: Brenda's Meat & Three. Everyone's first reaction is "What is a meat and three?" I'll admit I was also on the same boat. A meat and three is a traditional southern meal consisting of 1 meat entree and 3 sides. True to the name, my group and I decided to try at least 1 meat and 3 entree followed by whatever the rest of the party consider would fill us up. We were easily convinced from the waitress (and from the surrounding patron's entree's aroma) that we should order their fried chicken. When done right, fried chicken not only tastes great and extremely moist, the aroma just sucks you in eat more. We decided to also have the same fried chicken in a sandwich form hence us ordering the chicken sandwich. If you're into oysters, you'll want the oyster po boy since it's a generous portion and the oyster is crispy and ocean-y. Summary of items devoured by our party of 4: * Fried chicken with fried okra, Mac and cheese, red bean rice * Oyster po boy * Chicken sandwich * Cream biscuits * Calas rice donuts * Bread pudding

    (4)
  • Shendi X.

    Solidly good, but nothing really stand-out for me? I recently had a fried chicken benedict special with grits, which was definitely delicious, but not as drool-worthy as I had been anticipating. TBH, I have a feeling you could get a less fancy version of this stuff of equal quality at a diner. ;)

    (3)
  • Linus W.

    Not as super busy as the original Brenda's I think, but still dishes out some tasty eats. The choice of a meat + 3 sides is prominent when you get there, but take a look at the paper menus for a few other options like sandwiches and more sides. Fried chicken is always a safe bet, the catfish good, and I was pleasantly surprised by the salmon. My fav sides are the biscuit and the garlic spinach. Would love to stop on by for brunch and see how it compares! One of the workers says they're doing sweet potato pancakes for a little while...

    (4)
  • Liz N.

    I was so overwhelmed w all their great sounding breakfast choices! My friend and I opted for the Johnny cakes (MUST ORDER), the pulled pork Benedict w grits (cause this is soul food right?) and for something sweet the calas (the beignets lost cousin). I'm returning jus for them Johnny cakes and to try out the rest of their menu. Wait is not at all SF brunching crazy (YET, go now) only 15 mins on a beautiful Saturday morning.

    (4)
  • Johnny C.

    First, I don't like to complain, but this might help you AND the restaurant make some decisions. Hopefully, the restaurant will take the comments below as constructive criticism. I'm not really impressed, and it doesn't take much to impress me. The hot food was served luke warm, and the chicken breast portion in the sandwich was small. I've lived in the neighborhood for years. This is my second time there since they opened, for lunch this trip. I ordered the spicy chicken sandwich with coleslaw side, and ice water. The ice water was luke warm with no ice. No big deal, but get it right. My husband's drink was full of ice! The chicken in the sandwich was well on its way to room temp after 2-3 minutes of talking/enjoying the cole slaw, which was tasty. I cut my sandwich in half. The first half didn't have much chicken in it. And there was only about 1/4 to just slightly over 1/3 inch of thickness to the breaded chicken breast. The bun size dwarfed the area covered by the chicken by at least 40 percent. If I wanted a postage stamp, I could have walked down to Geary and Steiner to the Post Office. I has some of my husband's fries, and they tasted like they hadn't just come out of the fryer either, which really should be the goal of any restaurant. It's like they prepared our food, then let it sit for five or six minutes before serving it. (We'd waited a bit for our food). I remember walking away from my first lunch meal there feeling ho-hum about things: it was ok, but not super special. The pulled pork sandwich was better that time, than the spicy chicken sandwich was this time. I'd rather go to Eddie's Cafe and spend $7 less next time, lol.

    (2)
  • Jenn L.

    Great breakfast/brunch place. Got there around 8:40am with no wait but it gets a lot busier later on. It's a casual setting with some cool decorations. I ordered the biscuit with pulled pork and scramble eggs. The pork was cooked perfectly with some juicy flavours. The banana pancakes are freshly made and super delicious! The servers are a little slow but other than that, I would definitely come back here again.

    (4)
  • Ringo M.

    Bringing a Korean tourist to Brenda's Meat & Three may make for an amusing conversation. "When a dish draws influence from African-American culture back in the Southern United States, we call the dish 'Soul Food.'" I figured that was a pretty good introduction of Southern cuisine for a tourist. But she looked at me with a raised eyebrow, nodded politely, and finally decided to respond. "You know, we also have Seoul Food, but I'm pretty sure that it is derived from South Korea and not Southern U.S., but it's an understandable mistake so you shouldn't feel embarrassed." I realized at once that this had the potential to be a pretty punny situation. And so I let her continue. "But you know, the Seoul Food here is a little different than the one from Korea. For example, the Fried Chicken here isn't all too crispy. And they gave me these two giant pieces instead of wings and drumsticks." Then she lowered her voice into a whisper, "And it's a little dry as well." And she keeps rolling. "I think it's pretty interesting that they call their kimchi pancake a Delta Scramble. It's very delicious. A little yolky on the inside and the little fried oysters were also a nice touch. But..." She started to whisper again, "I think they COMPLETELY forgot the Kimchi" The rest of the meal consisted of more comparisons between Soul Food (or what she thought was American Seoul Food) and I guess, Seoul Food. I think she actually got a little angry when she realized that Brenda carried a Bloody Mary on her menu instead of Hite. All in all, it was a good meal. "Kasamnida, foodkid, for bringing me to such a nice place. But if you ever find yourself in SOUTH Korea, I'll bring you to some REAL Seoul Food, okay?" And she gave me a little wink. I had to stuff my mouth with a soft, flaky biscuit to hide my smirk as I replied, "You're way too funny. God bless your soul." Wait for it. "Umm...thank you, umm, on behalf of Seoul, I guess. God bless America, too!" I almost choked on the biscuit lol.

    (3)
  • Victoria T.

    Came here for brunch over the weekend on one of the warmest days I've ever felt in San Francisco so it was impossibly hot everywhere without air conditioning like Brenda's. But I won't be biased on that in my review because this Creole Cajun brunch was everything I wanted it to be and more. We started with the Creole Bloody Mary and Johnny Cakes, that was one of the best food pairing ever. This could be the best Bloody Mary I've had in the city to date. The Johnny cakes were fluffy and were flavorful with a good kick from the Cajun butter served alongside. I had the Fried Chicken Benedict with cheesy grits and the grits were amazing, creamy and I have to say seasoned perfectly. I could have just had that and been happy. The Pulled Pork hash had great flavor and the potatoes were crispy. We'll be back for sure because I was eying so much more to try on the menu, let's just hope it's not 90 degrees outside.

    (4)
  • Stacey L.

    3.5 stars. Portions are huge here, we got two meat+3's to share between 2 people for dinner and we were stuffed. I actually like the sides more than the meats. We got the fried chicken and ribs, and for the sides we got cheesy grits, mac and cheese, garlic spinach, biscuits (x2), and oyster sauce. The ribs were fine, not overly saucy but not the most tender ribs I've had either. I'm not a rib connoisseur so not too picky about those. The fried chicken wasn't terrible, but I was really put off by the fact that it was lukewarm while the sides were piping hot. The breading could also be a bit crispier. Loved the biscuits and the jam that came with it, and the mac and cheese and grits were pretty good too.

    (3)
  • Michelle C.

    Came here for Valentine's day brunch and had a wonderful experience. Not knowing where to go for v-day lunch, my boyfriend suggested we try Brenda's new restaurant; Brenda's Meat & Three. He called before we went to check the wait time and were told that there was only a 10 minute wait - score! When we got there, there were several parties ahead of us so I thought the wait time would be much longer than 10 minutes but their estimate had been pretty accurate. We got seated in their outdoor seating in the back of the restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised and the environment made me feel like I was dining somewhere else outside of San Francisco. I feel like it would be especially pretty to dine out there in the evening. I love the Fried Catfish Benedict from the original Brenda's so I ordered that. Boyfriend ordered the Banana's Foster (one of the specials on that day) We also ordered the Stuffed Johnny Cakes and a side of Fries. Everything came out at the same time and each bite was SO tasty! Loved each and every bite. The dish is nice and filling; I was only able to finish half and saved the rest to go. Boyfriend packed some almost half of his Banana's Foster also - so when dining here prepare to have some of the deliciousness saved for later. Total bill was around $40 - totally worth it and I will definitely be back

    (5)
  • Semuteh F.

    Came with my dad for Father's Day dinner. We came on the early side (6) so we were seated right away. By the time we left there was a bit of a wait. It's not a very big place so fills up fast. The food was awesome! We did two meat + 3. I had the blackened salmon, collards, mashed potatoes, and fried okra. Daddio had chicken fried steak, Mac and cheese, garlic spinach, and rice and beans. The best bites by far were the salmon (perfectly cooked), fried okra, Mac and cheese, and garlic spinach. Chicken fried steak was a bit disappointing as were mashed potatoes. Overall, great meal and great service. I actually think I prefer the food here to the original Brenda's (blasphemous I know!). Will definitely be back!

    (4)
  • Arda S.

    Came here for Brunch on a Saturday with my mom. The place wasn't too crowded around 2 pm so that was nice since I heard it can get pretty crowded. I ordered the fried oyster Po Boy with fries and my mom ordered the Gumbo bowl. The Po Boy was delicious with perfect sized oysters and perfect crunch texture. The size was also on the hefty side so it was definitely filling. My mom's gumbo was also delicious and was not too salty. I would definitely recommend and will be returning to try stuff on their regular menu.

    (4)
  • Christine P.

    4.5 stars. I love this place. My friends and I had an early brunch at Spruce, got our nails done and indulged in massages. Since we were in the area, we decided to try our luck and have a late lunch here. I called them when we were driving past the restaurant, asked them how long the wait was and the person who picked up the phone said that a table for 4 just opened up. Just our luck and we were elated that there was no wait on a Sunday afternoon. I asked them to hold our table and we would be right over. We parked the car and headed straight in. I barely even put my shoes on and the host and I were laughing about this. It was our waitress' first week of work but she still provided good service. We ordered the gumbo, calas (new orleans lost doughnut made with rice and deep-fried) and johnnycakes (shrimp, bacon, scallion, jalapeno, cheddar, corn, with 3 pepper butter) to start. I LOVED the gumbo and ordered some to go so I can bring a cup to my husband who is a huge fan of gumbo. He enjoyed every bite of it. For our entrees, we all shared the following: Brenda's Fried Seafood Po Boy, Big Mama's Spicy Chicken Sandwich. I loved the brenda's fried seafood catfish po boy -it was so good! I also ordered one of these and brought one home to my husband and he loved it. I am definitely coming back with the family in tow. Love love love and highly recommend. If you are a fan of Brenda's french soul food restaurant in the tenderloin, you'll love it here. I've always been a fan of Brenda's French Soul food and she did a wonderful job with this addition!

    (5)
  • Klondike B.

    Pretty darn good. Johnny Cakes with cayenne butter - amazing. Biscuit - excellent. Everything else we had, very good. The scene is fun - New Orleans-ish. Service excellent. One of our new favorites. Will be going back.

    (4)
  • Dilys S.

    Tourists show up with guidebooks and magazine articles to scout this place for beignets, both sweet (Apple Pie / Chocolate / Cinnamon) and savory (shrimp creamy cheesy filling topped with cayenne / paprika for maximum heat). It is a stuffing meal. This location is particular charming despite its proximity to a rough eventful neighborhood. Great for dates. Arrive with Lyft or Uber...

    (5)
  • Erika V.

    Would receive 5 stars because the food and service was great. My problem comes with the shady practice of building on to my order without disclosing all the facts. We ordered Mimosas and the server asked do we want pomegranate or peach? I ordered pomegranate and my two friends ordered peach. At no time did she disclose that these flavors costs more money. She made it sound like those were he only options. Upon receiving the bill we notice our drink orders are a dollar extra for each drink. We tell a server and she gives is attitude and says it on the board. Mind you this board is 8ft up from where we are sitting. Thankfully the manager comes up with a new receipt, however he does not say a word or apologize a bit.

    (3)
  • Joshua W.

    I'm a 7th generation Texan who grew up in East Texas, so much of the menu here is composed of food that I grew up with. Keep that in mind when I say that this is some of the best southern and creole cuisine I've had since I left that part of the world. Brenda's is the first place I've found in SF that knows how to do grits right, their ham and red-eye gravy is the real deal, their biscuits and gravy are exactly what you'd want them to be, and the calas are the best I've had outside of New Orleans. I'm blown away that they're serving real deal southern food here and resisting the temptation that everyone else in town seems to have to put a "San Francisco twist" on everything. I absolutely hate standing in line to eat somewhere, but this is one of the few places that I feel is worth it. Eat here.

    (5)
  • Dhar J.

    One of those places where you want to come back and try all their offerings. Nuff said; now where is that fried okra !!!!!

    (5)
  • Emily F.

    Great place. Have been a couple times now. It's usually pretty busy to be prepared to wait but always well worth it. I've tried the short ribs, fried catfish, fried chicken, and shrimp entrees. They're all amazing. They have quite the variety of sides and again, can't go wrong with any of them! Service is quick and always very friendly. We also tried the hushpuppy appetizer and was great. The sauce was perfect with it but couldn't taste the shrimp too well in it. Loved my sides of okra, mac n cheese, and cornbread. The biscuits, dirty rice, and greens are also delicious. Highly recommend and will definitely come back!

    (5)
  • Tracy T.

    I love me some soul food! Call me crazy, but deep down I'm a sucker for all the delicious sides that soul food has to offer and one piece fried chicken can come with on the side = a great meal to me at Brenda's Meat & Three! Highlights - Came here for a late supper on a weekday and wait was just a few minutes for a party of two, enough time to clear out a table to seat this starving almost hangry little lady. :) - Gumbo: crab, shrimp, sausage, okra, tomato, rice. Hearty, filling, not too spicy, and delicious! - Ordering is simple with your selection and choice to customize: Meat & three is just as it sounds: a selection of one of their entree meat offerings and 3 sides OR 4 sides if meat is not your thing. LOVE! - Menu changes daily so if you see something you want to try, snag it before it goes away. So much to choose from, it was so hard to decide: collard greens and okra & tomato maque choux were the best of the 3. - Fried chicken entree came with 3 pieces: moist, tender, and flavorful skin. - They serve Bundaberg ginger beer: if you like strong ginger beer that warms up your throat and belly, this one is it! Improvements - Sweet potato fries: normal, good, but my eyes were bigger than my stomach and my hangry self ordered too much to allow me to savor this plate of deliciousness. - Corn bread: Skip. Nothing special here and I've tasted better. Tips - As a true fatty, I came already prepared that I will order Calas in mind as my dessert that I HAD to try, but they didn't offer it that day (bummed).Their dessert selection looked and sounded great, but I was so full. I shall be back to indulge in some of their sweets offering!

    (4)
  • Peter M.

    I was so excited for this spot. Then they served me cold stringy fried chicken. Something they threw back in the fryer for a couple of minutes that was made much earlier. It was not good. The sides were good but I dont remember what I had. Just that chicken.

    (1)
  • Frank L.

    Tasty, fresh NOLA cuisine. Very reasonably priced with good portions. Oh yeah, and the staff is happy to see you unlike the abysmal farmerbrown experience. Located in the western addition on Divis between Golden Gate and McAllister Aves.

    (5)
  • Kristi G.

    Brenda, you had me at meat Pulling off a second location as good as the first Is no easy feat I started with a bloody mary at an inappropriate hour It was nice and spicy with a garnish of okra neither too sweet or too sour The calas were sugary goodness with plenty to share Let's be clear they are no beignets but let's not compare The shrimp po' boy was tasty and as big as my head I definitely left feeling well fed They kept the interior simple and clean I'll be back to try dinner, for that I am keen

    (5)
  • Andrew G.

    This is a great brunch spot that offers Southern / Creole versions of classic brunch options. I had a delicious Fried Chicken Benedict and cheesy grits. Also had a Bloody Mary with a piece of Okra in it. Went on a Saturday and had to wait a bit but really enjoyed the food and service. Would recommend.

    (5)
  • Candice H.

    Brenda's Meat & Three is a southern diner offering a slightly different menu than Brenda's on Polk Street. So, what's a meat and three meal? You get one meat entree and three sides of your choice. "A" and I came for the weekend brunch, served Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 pm. They don't offer beignets, but they have calasi, a deep fried doughnut filled with rice and cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top. The calasi were fried perfectly, but I wasn't a fan of the rice filling inside. IMO, it was very dense and doughy. It's not something I'd order again, but I would say it's a must try if it's your first visit. I'm still a fan of the traditional beignets. (4 calasi's for $5). I ordered the French toast, which is a cinnamon battered eggy bread. I was asked if I wanted the butter pecan sauce, but I asked for it plain since I was afraid it'd be too sweet. It turns out the chef made my order with the sauce as our waitress noticed it half way into my meal. She asked if I wanted them to replace it, but I said no since I couldn't even finish what was already in front of me and I didn't want a new order going to waste. The portion was huge as you get six slices for $7.50. "A" ordered the fried catfish eggs benedict served on two biscuits and a side of grits. The eggs came out perfect on the biscuit. The catfish portion was rather small but together as a dish, it was very tasty and one of the better ones he has had. Service was decent and friendly. However, we noticed that we were charged for the pecan sauce we didn't order and the waitress never took it off the bill even after realizing it as a mistake. "A" said that's fine, he'll just take it out of the tip.

    (3)
  • Jacquee P.

    Brenda's is the place where it's appropriate to put butter on your cheese. :D I was looking for a light, small breakfast (idk why) so I decided on the stuffed johnny cakes which is basically lots of tasty bits loosely held together with some cornmeal. The spicy butter is the perfect complement... mmm! The calas were different from what I expected but still delicious. It's like a regular batter donut with a few grains of rice in the middle and there's peanut butter and jam on the side.

    (5)
  • Ben M.

    I really dig the simplicity of the space. The remodel is great and it's really easy on the eyes. It's open and simple/ Everything you would expect from Brenda's original establishment is fully intact. The menu is slightly different of course. Get the calas. They are sort of like doughnuts. I had never had them before and now I love them. The hash is down right amazing, some of the best I have ever had. When I go to the original I have usually have the hang town. This location does not have that and I am actually glad. What they have on the menu that is comparable is the Delta Scramble. Its got shrimp, okra, tomatoes and fried oysters. Way to much food. The fresh strawberry jam was great as well. Great service, better than great food. The bloody Mary is amazing, great flavor and succulent okra.

    (5)
  • Eazy E.

    The concept here is to pick a meat option and then 3 sides. I tried the fried chicken which was perfectly crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. No complaints about the chicken. Really excellent. For sided, the greens were awesome and so was the okra.

    (4)
  • Andrew S.

    Brunch was fantastic. Southern fare. Favorites were the pork and sweet potato hash and the eggs Benedict florentine. Biscuits are awesome and they come with homemade jam (you can get them to go too). House made watermelon sweet tea was tasty as well. Ambiance is warm thanks to the big windows light from the skylight. Would definitely come back, want to see what their dinner menu is like. Bill for four people with entree each and two total drinks was $65.

    (5)
  • Baron C.

    I wanted to hate this place. The hipster quotient is high here. You will see lots of people wearing old timey derby hats, ironic beanies and unnecessary mustaches. It's like extras from the set of Girls needed to stop by for a lunch break. It will anger you. But the food is great. The chicken sandwich is particularly fantastic but everything we've tried has been well above the average for the area. The gumbo isn't as smokey as I like mine but even that said, it's worth a taste.

    (5)
  • Vivian H.

    Got the fried chicken +3 to split between 2 ppl, and it was a really substantial portion.. one person would be crazy stuffed. Don't know why their fried chicken wasn't crunchy that day -- kinda seemed like it was old and sitting there getting soggy or something. Their cheese grits, collards, and garlic spinach sides were all on point though. Didn't even make me feel fat. My friend said she tried their mac n cheese before and it wasn't amazing so we didn't give it another shot this time (ps she's a mac n cheese fanatic so I take her word for it). We came in at 7pm on a Saturday and got seats at the bar immediately, but could feel the place filling up as the night went on. It's a small place so you may have to wait. Staff is quick and attentive. Wines on tap and some Abita offerings on their beer list, of course! I know the fried chicken is usually better, and I'm a huge fan of Brenda's so I'll definitely be coming back for another try. Brunch perhaps?

    (3)
  • ari b.

    Dear Brenda's meat and three, Last night I took too much alcohol, and as a consequence I had that not so fresh feeling today. Tossing and turning this morning I said to myself I won't do this again but we all know the truth don't we. Then I had cheddar grits with a poached egg crispy pork belly and spicy onion relish. Now I think I just might make it. Thank you for solving my problems. Sincerely, The guy sitting at the counter looking green.

    (5)
  • Mack L.

    I'm giving Brenda's a 4 star review based on the food and overall vibe, but I will elaborate on what I think should be improved upon. Mainly the service we received. Me and a friend arrived around 1pm in the afternoon on a Saturday. We put our names down on the list that was out front of the restaurant. We hung out on the curb in the shade and avoided blocking the walkway as instructed and as common sense dictates. We only had to wait about 10 minutes and then we were seated. After a few minutes we were greeted by Will our server who asked us if we wanted drinks. I ordered OJ and my friend ordered water. Those items came back pretty quick. We were then ready to order and ordered the following: 2 Pork Belly specials(with poached egg, cheesy grits) Side of Creole Chicken 2 Coffees And Big Mama's Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich with Fries which I ordered as a TO GO item for the end of our meal. Will left with our ordered and we began to chat while waiting for our orders. After a few minutes I realized we hadn't received our coffee. I tracked Will a bit to see if maybe he was working on our coffees and was just busy, but he came over to the register a couple of times and walked by our table without looking at us. I then noticed the coffee pots about 10 feet from our table and the stack of cups. My friend managed to get his attention and Will brought over 1 cup of coffee. At that point I said "Oh and I got one too." Will came back with the 2nd cup of coffee and I asked for sugar which was not on our table. Will came over to our table and verified there was no sugar and then brought us a jar of sugar. Not too much longer after that our 2 Pork Belly plates arrived. I did not ask about my side of chicken at that time assuming that it was coming but it did not. I then asked another server who was clearing the table next to us to check on it. She said "I'm sure it's coming, but I'll check" and she went off. I believe at that point the chicken was ordered for us. A few minutes later it arrived. The pork belly dish was amazing. Crispy pork, soft and tender meat and perfectly savory fat layers. The poached egg was perfectly cooked and runny inside. After cracking the egg and slicing it up a bit you could get a bite with some pork, some egg and a bit of grits all in one bite. It was perfection really. A lovely dish. The side of Creole Chicken patty was very good as well. Perfectly crispy and seasoned. We continued to finish our meal and were very pleased with all of the food. At no time during the meal did anyone come by and ask if we needed anything or check to see if we wanted more coffee or had a problem with our food. We sat for a while with empty plates, waiting for someone to clear them. This was probably 5-10 minutes after we were done eating. It was busy that day, but I don't think I'm being unreasonable. I'm not a big whiner reviewer. Anyway, another server cleared our plates. As she was clearing I asked about my to go order. She replied with "Oh I'm sure it's coming" and she went to check on it as well. From the facial expressions and commotion that occurred I think it was not ordered. At the same time our bill came and I put in my card to pay for it. It came back and I signed/tipped and we waited for my to go order. I noticed there was no charge for coffee, maybe that is normal? Maybe that's why we only get one? While we waited I saw 3 Spicy Chicken sandwiches get served to the table next to us. Both tables next to us had been flipped during our meal and were now about halfway through their meals. (just to point out the timing of our service). After a few more minutes Will came and took our receipt and signed/tipped bill. Which made me feel awkward with the tip already on it. He came back again and began to explain that the other server had put the wrong chicken sandwich on our ticket or had charged us for someone else's ticket. He said he had to re-run my card on the new bill and that I would see 2 charges on my account but one would eventually clear itself. So I'm burdened by your mistake now. The new bill that came out was $4 more than the original bill and I didn't notice the change of sandwich name, but maybe the chicken sandwich had the wrong exact name on it. I thought it was right the first time. I signed/tipped again on the new bill. A few minutes later my sandwich and fries came out and we left. I'm a big fan of service and meeting or exceeding expectations in service that you are providing. I don't think we had great service that day. I want to be constructive and not really bash the service we received from Will and Brenda's as a whole, but I want to hopefully improve it. If they read this. 1. Make a point to get the order right. 2. Check back on your customers 3. Offer coffee refills if that is available. 4. Don't make the customer pay for your mistakes, just credit the difference and move along.

    (4)
  • Michelle C.

    Oooohhhh Brenda.....you've done it again! New safer location, same great food, how can you go wrong? Okay, I'll admit, if you go with a super hungry stomach and have to wait for over an hour. But play your Brenda cards right. You know you want to eat here, get your name on the list, and drink water or a small snack. Parking is super tough in this neighborhood. My friend dropped us off for my friend, Pauline L., birthday brunch. People were already inside eating at 9:45am. The great thing about this location is their outside patio. They were able to seat us a party of 8. For sure going back in the near future. I'm super happy that Brenda is growing her restaurant. All for the better.

    (5)
  • Gina G.

    My first visit to Brenda's Meat and Three was on a Saturday, right before their dinner menu started. I wasn't aware that during that time they only had an "in between menu" with limited selections, I assumed that I'd be able to order either from the lunch or dinner menu. My bf and I had to wait about 20+ minutes til we were able to order dinner. It was still a plus because we were able to order a bowl of the gumbo to share while we waited. They also had their sandwiches available, but I didn't want to order my food before and eat before. The wait helped build our appetite more so we might've gone a little overboard with ordering. I went with the catfish po boy with a side of French fries while my bf had the chicken for meat and chose mac and cheese, brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes for his 3 sides. I also threw in cornbread as an extra side just to try it. The fried catfish in my po boy was very light, but super crunchy and the spread added extra flavor to it. I was enjoying my meal too much to have some of my bf's chicken but I did pick at his sides which were all really good. The mashed potatoes were a little bland, so he asked for a side of their pork gravy, which really topped it off. The ambiance was a little more plain and simple than the original location and definitely wasn't as crowded, at least at the time I went. I'd consider coming here since they serve most of the house favorites here, the only thing I noticed that wasn't offered were the beignets, but they did have some Calas, which is a rice doughnut served with molasses butter. I will definitely return to this location and hopefully be able to catch brunch. Everything on the menu is so mouth watering, savory and filling. Eating here may put you into a food coma so beware and don't forget to wear stretchy pants.

    (4)
  • Rene B.

    By far the best breakfast I've had in god knows how long! I ordered what the horl next to had...fried catfisg benedict. It was perfect. I mean literally perfect. The right portion of catfish perfectly fried, house hollandaise, perfectly posched egg and the biscuits are like...wtf good. I've never ever ever in my life understood why people like buscuits sooo much. I am now a believer. Best biscuit ever!!! Soft yet dense and not over buttery. I was pleasabtly surprised that it did not come with a dry , over toasted, hard english muffin. Omg!# I forgot to mention that there was hollandaise and home made gravy. It don't get better than that. Good job guys...I will definately be back!!!

    (5)
  • Michelle S.

    Cute diner feel. The mimosas are strong. We only waited about 15-20 mins today around 11am for a party of two. Sat at the bar which is always entertaining since we could see right into the kitchen where they were making biscuits. My meal was about a 3 and my husbands a 4. I had the sweet potato hash with pulled pork which was more like mashed sweet potatoes with peppers. Instead of diced sweet potatoes. My husband had the fried Chicken sandwich with bacon. Sandwich came with shoestring French fries. The bacon is super crunchy :) oh and homemade jelly is delish! good service and ambiance for brunch.

    (4)
  • Justin S.

    Chicken is great! Fried okra is awesome! Collard greens are the best. Biscuits are not enough to qualify as a whole side. Come here soon since there will soon be a line. Everything is excellent.

    (4)
  • Randy T.

    I'm a big fan of Brenda's French Soul Food restaurant (and those lovely beignets) so I was thrilled to get a chance to try out her new venture, Brenda's Meat & Three. The concept is you order one meat and then select three side dishes. And there were many to choose from. Brenda's fried chicken is the most popular item so, of course, that had to be the "meat". The three side dishes I was hankering for was the cornbread, mac & cheese, and potato bacon hash. Because who doesn't like potatoes and bacon. Unfortunately that was a miss because the potatoes were too charred, almost burnt. And I could hardly find any bacon. But the mac & cheese was out of this world. Bubbly, melting, and fresh out of the oven piping hot. The cornbread was moist with kernel of corn studded within it. Now onto the chicken. You get a thigh, wing, and drumstick. The crackling crust and juicy meat is what makes this a winner. There's a delayed spicy kick to the chicken as well which adds another flavor dimension. I loved it! The bread pudding was awesome. And I love me a good bread pudding. There were cherries and chocolate intermingling the warm custardy bread pudding. Add the caramel bourbon sauce and it's one of the best bread puddings I've ever had. You can bet I'll be back for another meat and three side dishes!

    (4)
  • Mariko F.

    I'm so excited about Brenda's joining the neighborhood. If you go on the weekends before 2pm, you will wait at least a little bit. Go after 2:30 or so, or on a weekday, and there won't be a line. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich which was great. It's smothered in a spicy sauce that makes it fantastic. And i have to say that the slaw that it comes with it amazing. I don't think I've ever been so enthusiastic about cole slaw. Hubby got the grits with pork belly, which was a special that day. The piece of pork belly was huge! The wait staff is a bit hipster, but nice in general.

    (4)
  • Maherah S.

    I love love love this place! I was mad when it came into the hood cuz i loved the spot that was there before but this is my favorite spot to take folks to! I introduce it to all my friends and am constantly suggesting it to people. for breakfast- the fried chicken eggs Benedict it the bomb.

    (5)
  • Kate M.

    Excellent new brunch place in SF. If you're as much of a fan of the original Brenda's as I am, you must check out this new location in NOPA. I went on the second opening weekend on a Sunday and was pleasantly surprised to find that the wait was only 15 min, a huge plus. As for the actual menu, there are a few similarities to Brenda's such as the watermelon sweet tea and the mindblowing sweet potato pancakes. They didn't have the beignets unfortunately but the fried rice donuts, calas, were delicious as well. The jack eyed biscuits- biscuits with an egg in the middle are a must- and you can have your pick of other delicious Cajun specialties on the menu as well. Definitely will be returning! Big plus - they have a lovely outdoor patio in the back.

    (4)
  • Alyssa T.

    I'm a big fan of Brenda's French Soul Food, so naturally I had to visit this location as well. Two friends and I went for Sunday brunch (I know, Sunday brunch + no reservations = SF suicide). We waited about 30 minutes, which wasn't as bad as I expected. The ambiance here is very "hip," but I liked the decor. It took me so long to figure out what I wanted because everything sounded delicious. I ordered the pulled pork hash, and my two friends got the Fried Chicken Benedict special. We ordered Calas for starters and I also got a "taste" of gumbo because it was calling to me like the creepy penguin in those Pier 1 commercials. A "taste" was ~4-5 spoonfuls, so just enough to not make me feel bad about eating that, a starter, and an entree. I really enjoyed the gumbo, though I will eat just about any kind of gumbo and enjoy it. The calas were delicious, almost like a cross between beignets and hush puppies (sorry if that is totally off, but it's what I first thought of). The pulled pork + sweet potato hash was delicious - I haven't really had sweet potato hash in the past, and I liked it. I tried some of the fried chicken benedict, which was so delicious. I think I have to go back for the fried chicken. My friends and I also got orders of the peach mimosas, which were surprisingly strong! I would have tried the guava one too, but thought ordering that on top of the peach would be doin a little too much. This is a great brunch place to enjoy with friends on a nice day in the city, especially if you don't mind a little bit of a wait!

    (4)
  • Amy W.

    One month in and hopefully they are still just working out the kinks. Yes those rice doughnuts are great, but use the jelly on the table versus the syrup they are served with. The service was lack luster, the waiter had zero personality and did things like asking the table next to us for their order first (we were seated 5 minutes before them) , and we asked for ice water - which came after our meal was served, the mimosa my friend ordered also came after our meal was served, we were never offered water refills, even though I was out of water halfway through my meal. I asked for ice in my water (there was no ice). When we sat down to the table it was all sticky and I got brown goo on my hands. You get the idea. Anyway - I ordered the two eyed jack, the eggs were underdone (so were the eggs at the next table) - They call the add on "chicken fried steak chicken" - so I really thought I was getting steak, (I thought the choices were chicken, steak or ham) REALLY they should just call it "chicken- fried chicken" and leave out the word "steak" entirely. It wash;t just me- my friend also though it was going to be steak. So yes, I still want to come back and try the pimento cheese bologna sandwich, but for a 45 minute wait for brunch, I will pass.

    (3)
  • F G.

    If you're looking for a quick no-frills option on a Monday, come here. The quality of the food is great, the ever-changing menu enticing, and the service very courteous. There's sometimes a short wait of 20 minutes or so, but it's all good as soon as you take your first bite. Keep in mind that the portions are massive (I've never been able to finish it), so you better be hungry. If you already love the original Brenda's, you'll really like this place.

    (4)
  • Saminda W.

    Brenda, you can do no wrong. This new creation from the perpetually busy Brenda's in the 'loin is more than up to snuff. It picks up where its sibling left off, with an inventive array of nu SoCom cuisine. The standout has to be the Big Mama's Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich. I mean damn, Big Mama, don't know what you puttin' in that secret recipe but the Colonel ain't got nothin' on you. You doin' it right, girl, you doin' it right. A generous portion of fried chicken breast is lathered up good with some hot sauce (I gotta say it's got that tang' reminiscent of Frank's Red Hot) and finished off with some creamy mayo. It's got pop, son. Also have tried their house Bloody Mary which has the heartiness and spice you'd expect, it's a full-bodied Mary. Definitely plan to return there, though it will be hard to try something other than that chicken! Respect!

    (4)
  • David P.

    Meat & Three. Brenda's French Soul Food opens up a sister restaurant that is similar yet different. There was so much excitement in the air given how much I love Brenda's. They had some items transplanted from Brenda's, but I resisted ordering those to have that different experience. I opted with the Delta Scramble since it had some mentions but I also got to try the chicken sandwich and catfish. The items were good but nothing to write home about; the chicken sandwich being the best out of the three. I somewhat regretted not selecting my go-to choice, shrimp and grits. I suppose my rating could be better if I ordered my shrimp and grits straight from Brenda's Soul Food and be ecstatic that the wait was not one or more hours for Meat & Three. Then again, Brenda's presented us with a stand alone restaurant with a different name. I expected it to shine in its own way.

    (3)
  • Christian D.

    My wife and I were excited to try Brenda's Meat and Three, since Brenda's French Soul Food is one of our long time favorites. I started with a cup of Low Country Gumbo, which was excellent. It was filled with seafood, Andouille sausage, Okra and a nice dark roux. I had the fried oyster po boy and fries for my main dish. The po boy was overflowing with perfectly fried oysters and covered in a nice, spicy remoulade sauce with pickles, lettuce and tomatoes on a nice soft roll. I actually took half my po boy home and enjoyed it for dinner. It was filled with so many oysters I couldn't finish it. My wife was in more of a brunch mood and ordered the French Toast and added a fried chicken breast and collard greens on the side. My wife said all three were excellent. The interior of the restaurant had a nice, homey feel with a counter in the middle and a patio in the back. I highly recommend Brenda's Meat and Three to anyone looking for great Louisiana style cuisine in the bay area. Chef Brenda is a Louisiana native and really does the food justice.

    (5)
  • Brittany C.

    The food is very good, so I'm still going to give this place four stars, but I'm going to put this here as a disclaimer: If the line seems like it will take over 40 minutes, walk away and come back another day. It is very good brunch food, but unless you really have nothing to do, probably not worth a ridiculous wait. So why did I wait, you ask? Well, my brother was in town for the weekend, and I wanted to show him around and give him a "San Francisco experience." As far as SF experiences go, waiting in line for brunch seemed like a pretty decent start... Okay, on to the food. This place is the "sequel" to Brenda's French Soul Food in the Tenderloin, so the menu is quite similar. - Watermelon Sweet Tea: A really refreshing drink, tastes more like watermelon than sweet tea, which was totally fine with me! - Delta Scramble: Seafood in scrambled eggs! Not something you see every day. Goes well with hot sauce. - Grits: Slightly cheesy and slightly buttery in taste, with a nice, pleasant texture somewhere between cereal and porridge. - Biscuit: Easily one of the most delicious biscuits I have ever had. Buttery, flaky, and soft. I almost ordered a second. Really great Southern-style breakfast, but unfortunately everyone else in town seems to think so, too, so try to come early to avoid the line!

    (4)
  • marcus F.

    Wanted check this place out. Sat down to get served and no one greeted me or asked if i wanted coffee or nothing. The two lady servers were asian and white.....The two white men and another group of white girls got service before me and they showed up 5 mins after i did...... Being black.......at a soulfood rest

    (1)
  • Taylor A.

    As a Southerner on the West Coast, I am always on the lookout for tasty Southern-style food. Brenda's Meat and Three was on my list for awhile due to its reputation among SF residents, and so I eagerly awaited my brunch reservation last weekend. Upon arrival, I was disappointed by the restricted brunch menu--I definitely wanted to try some of the side dishes offered at other times (mainly the red beans and rice). Ultimately, I decided to order a taste of the gumbo, biscuits and gravy (a favorite of mine) and the watermelon sweet tea. On a side note, it is really funny to me how most places outside of the South don't have straight-up sweet tea, as was the case at Brenda's. I did, however, enjoy the watermelon sweet tea quite a lot. The two friends I dined with ordered the spicy chicken sandwich and shrimp po' boy (another all-time favorite of mine). They enjoyed both of their dishes immensely, but they clearly favored the shrimp po' boy. Since I tasted both of their sandwiches, I can honestly say that the shrimp po' boy was pretty fantastic. The spicy chicken sandwich had great flavors, but it's a very common dish everywhere. Thus, it wasn't an outstanding to me. The taste of gumbo was bursting with flavor, and I enjoyed the subtle spiciness and smokiness of the dish. I would definitely eat an entire bowl. I moved on to my biscuits and gravy, which I ordered with two eggs, over easy, and I was pleasantly surprised. The gravy was creamy and littered with bits of pork sausage and was spooned on top of two well-made buttermilk biscuits. As is true of nearly all of the Southern dishes I've tried on the West Coast, the biscuits and gravy were lighter than what I'm accustomed to. The gravy included less meat, less cream and probably less animal fat than typical breakfast gravy. Additionally, the biscuits were not as moist and buttery as the buttermilk biscuits I typically have back home. All in all, I appreciated this outpost of Southern food, and I would definitely return to try other dishes.

    (4)
  • Christine H.

    This place definitely did not disappoint. I don't need to go on about the food, everyone clearly has done that already. I want to highlight the staff. They knew exactly what on the menu I should get as a first time customer. The girls at Brenda's suggested the fried chicken with sides of carrots, brussels sprouts, and mac & cheese without any hesitation. IT WAS ALL DELICIOUS! (Okay, maybe I did talk about the food). Brenda's has some of the friendliest staff I've met since moving to the city. Talkative, and always made sure I had everything I needed. Refilled my drinks without me even having to ask. They offered plenty of suggestions for things to try on the menu the next time I come in. Will surely be coming here again.

    (5)
  • Beatrice W.

    I am always in search of good fried chicken so obviously I had to give Brenda's Meat & Three a try. For dinner the Meat+3 plates range from $16.75-$18 (fried chicken was $16.75). The 3-piece fried chicken consisted of a breast, drum, and wing and it was pretty good - nice and crisp on the outside, moderately moist on the inside, not spectacular seasoning... But what made the fried chicken was the pepper jelly glaze served on the side. Oh my god that jelly complemented the chicken so well my friend devoured his plate of food like a man who hadn't eaten in days! For sides, we got sweet potato fries, grits, and mac n cheese. The grits were so good - very cheesy and creamy, and the mac n cheese was also fine. The sweet potato fries, however, were limp and not at all crispy. Overall, the portion size of the 3-piece fried chicken + 3 sides was plenty of food, even for a 200 lb guy. I also tried the spicy fried chicken sandwich and it was also good, but it's definitely more on the mayonnaise-y side which quickly makes the fried chicken batter soggy. Some people compare it to Bakesale Betty's but I don't think that's really a fair comparison since one is a hot sandwich and the other cold. Brenda's is more spicy and mayonnaise-y while Bakesale Betty's is more bright and vinegary from the slaw. Also, the dinner menu doesn't state this, but the fried chicken sandwich actually comes with fries (or salad, but why order salad at a soul food restaurant), though the french fries, like the sweet potato fries, were not particularly crisp. I did, however, love the little bit of pickled watermelon served as a palate cleanser - Delicious with great purpose! Lastly, to help you plan since they don't take reservations: We arrived at 5pm on a Saturday evening and were seated immediately, but by 6pm there was definitely a wait list.

    (4)
  • Alana R.

    It wish I could give this place 3 1/2 stars - some things here are amazing, some things are inedible and it's pretty annoying how hard it is to get a table. What's amazing: - Fried Chicken with red pepper jelly - Biscuits - French toast - Calas What's just ok: - Pork belly - Ribs - Omelets - Portion sizes: the meat and 3 is way too much food for a regular night out. You will be in a food coma if you eat it all. Best to go with the a la carte options What's inedible: - Brussel sprouts: so many good brussel sprout dishes in this city these are so gross in comparison - Mac & Cheese: tastes like noodles and melted cheese I also miss how Blue Jay cafe (what used to be in the space before Brenda took it over) really felt like a neighborhood spot that was affordable and you could roll in and get a table any night. It doesn't feel like that anymore - be prepared to wait most nights and weekend mornings.

    (3)
  • Ryan B.

    Mediocre. We were thankfully seated in the courtyard outback and had good weather. Inside was crowded and loud. The orange juice was horrid (pretty indicative of the quality of brunch of the OJ sucks...) Our food took a bizarrely long amount of time to get. No idea why. It's like they just forgot about us. We didn't custom order anything or get anything complicated. Eggs, hash, bread type stuff. When we got the food it was incredibly disappointing. Nothing especially good and definitely nothing memorable about it (well, other than remembering never to eat here again).

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :8:00 am - 10:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Brunch
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Brenda’s Meat & Three

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